Ohio Revised Code Search

...eeding on an application filed with the public utilities commission under section 4909.18 of the Revised Code by an electric light company requesting an increase on any rate, rate mechanism, joint rate, toll, classification, charge, or rental or requesting a change in a regulation or practice affecting the same has not been concluded and an opinion and order entered pursuant to section 4909.19 of the Revised Code at ...

...(A) No public utility shall file a rate increase application covering a municipal corporation pursuant to section 4909.18 or 4909.35 of the Revised Code at any time prior to six months before the expiration of an ordinance of that municipal corporation enacted for the purpose of establishing the rates of that public utility. (B) Not later than thirty days prior to the filing of an application pursuant to section 490...

... increase in rate that a representative industrial, commercial, and residential customer will bear should the ordinance be accepted. Such information and exhibits shall be in the same form as the public utilities commission by rule may require.

...Whoever violates section 4909.14 or 4909.41 of the Revised Code is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.

...As used in this chapter: (A) "Public utility" means every one as defined in divisions (A), (C), (D), (E), (F), (G), (H), and (M) of section 4905.03 of the Revised Code, including all public utilities that operate their utilities not for profit, except the following: (1) Electric light companies that operate their utilities not for profit; (2) Public utilities, other than telephone companies, that are owned a...

...party in interest appearing before the public utilities commission regarding examination and cross-examination of witnesses, presentation of evidence, and other matters; (b) May take appropriate action with respect to residential consumer complaints concerning quality of service, service charges, and the operation of the public utilities commission; (c) May institute, intervene in, or otherwise participate in ...

... complaints or forward the calls to the public utilities commission's call center.

...knowledge and experience to practice in public utility proceedings. (B) No person who is in the employ of or acting in an official capacity with any public utility, subject to regulation by the public utilities commission or who is pecuniarily interested in, or holds stocks or bonds of any such utility or is a candidate for elective public office may be appointed to the office of the consumers' counsel or be appoint...

...The consumers' counsel shall be a resident of this state and during the counsel's term of office shall not hold any other office of either trust or profit under the government of the United States, this state, or any political subdivision of this state, except that this section shall not be construed to preclude the consumers' counsel from serving as a member of the reserve of the armed forces of the United States or...

...Before entering upon the duties of his office, the consumers' counsel shall subscribe to an oath of office, which shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state, and shall give bond of five thousand dollars with a sufficient surety approved by the treasurer of state. After approval the bond shall be filed with the secretary of state.

...The consumers' counsel shall be considered a state officer for the purpose of section 24 of Article II, Ohio constitution.

...The salary of the consumers' counsel shall be determined by the consumers' counsel governing board but shall be in pay range 49 as set forth in section 124.152 of the Revised Code.

...The office of the consumers' counsel shall be in Columbus.

...The public utilities commission shall supply the consumers' counsel, without cost to the counsel, with all books, maps, charts, and such other items as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of Chapters 4909. and 4911. of the Revised Code.

...sses-sion of the consumers' counsel are public records.

...The consumers' counsel may, whenever called upon by any officer, board, or commission of this state or of any political subdivision of this state, furnish any data or information to the officer, board, or commission. All officers, boards, or commissions of this state or of any political subdivision of this state, may furnish to the counsel, upon his request, any data or information which he requests in the discharg...

... civil service, shall not be considered public employees for purposes of Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code, and shall serve at the pleasure of the counsel. The counsel may also employ such clerical employees, including clerks and stenographers, as are necessary to carry out Chapters 4909. and 4911. of the Revised Code or to perform his duties and exercise the powers conferred by law upon him. These clerical employee...

...In the employment of engineers, experts, or other assistants, the consumers' counsel may make use of the services of engineers and experts employed by any university operated by this state in a manner provided by mutual arrangement between the counsel and the trustees and faculty of the university. Any necessary information, data, and equipment of the university shall be placed at the disposal of the counsel and paid...

...t he or another party brings before the public utilities commission involving the fixing of any rate, joint rate, fare, charge, toll, or rental charged for commodities or services by any public utility, the plant or property of which lies wholly within this state. Where the property of a public utility lies partly within this state, the jurisdiction of the consumers' counsel extends to that part of the plant or prope...

...rations located in, an area served by a public utility or whenever in his opinion the public interest is served, may represent those consumers or corporations whenever an application is made to the public utilities commission by any public utility desiring to establish, modify, amend, change, increase, or reduce any rate, joint rate, toll, fare, classification, charge, or rental. The consumers' counsel may appear be...

...ts, and papers in the possession of the public utilities commission at any time.

...appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that term. Any member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor takes office. The governing board shall meet at least every third month of the year. Meetings may be held more often at the request of a majority of the members or upon call of the chairperson. At the first meeting of each year, the bo...

...rtioned among and assessed against each public utility within this state, as defined in section 4911.01 of the Revised Code, by first computing an assessment as though it were to be made in proportion to the intrastate gross earnings or receipts of the public utility for the calendar year next preceding that in which the assessment is made, excluding earnings or receipts from sales to other public utilities for resa...

...e inquiry to the consumers' counsel and indicate the position of the utility concerning the nature of any investigation of the facts that it considers necessary to an ultimate response, and then, when it becomes possible to make a definitive response, shall respond to the consumers' counsel on the merits of the inquiry. The failure of a utility to comply with this section is admissible evidence in a complaint procee...

...If the consumers' counsel governing board determines that the appointment of a deputy consumers' counsel is necessary to ensure the full and proper performance of the powers and duties of the consumers' counsel, the board may appoint a deputy consumers' counsel. The board may assign the deputy consumers' counsel any of the duties and powers of the consumers' counsel, and the deputy shall perform the assigned duties a...