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An Act To Improve the Record Keeping of the Public Utilities Commission
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §1318, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 141, Pt. A, §6, is amended to read:
 
1. Record.   The commission shall keep a complete and permanent record of:
 
A. All proceedings before it;
 
B. Investigations; and
 
C. Formal public hearings.; and
 
D.  Complaints.
 
The record must include the results and conclusions of proceedings, investigations, formal public hearings and complaints, including, but not limited to, orders, findings, decisions and settlement agreements.
Sec. 2.  35-A MRSA §1318, sub-§3  is enacted to read:
 
3.  Reconstruction; past records.     Upon the request of a customer, the commission shall, to the extent possible, reconstruct the record of a proceeding, investigation, formal public hearing or complaint affecting that customer that was disposed of prior to the requirement of this section to permanently maintain the record. Upon request of the commission, any party to the proceeding, investigation, formal public hearing or complaint that possesses relevant records shall furnish those records to the commission to fulfill the requirements of this subsection. The commission shall provide the requesting customer notice of and access to any record that is reconstructed.
 
SUMMARY
This bill amends the law governing the record-keeping requirements of the Public Utilities Commission. Current law requires that the commission maintain a complete record of proceedings, investigations and formal public hearings. The bill adds the requirement to maintain a record of complaints. It also specifies that the required records be permanently maintained and include results and conclusions, including orders, findings, decisions and settlement agreements. Finally, the bill requires the commission, upon request of a public utility customer, to reconstruct, to the extent possible, the record of a proceeding, investigation, formal public hearing or complaint that was disposed of prior to the requirement that a permanent record be maintained.