Florida · statute · Fla. Stat. ch. 350 · 29 active provisions
The Florida Public Service Commission has been and shall continue to be an arm of the legislative branch of government. The Public Service Commission shall perform its duties independently. It is the desire of the Legislature that the Governor participate in the appointment process of commissioners to the Public Servic…
(1) The Florida Public Service Commission shall consist of five commissioners appointed pursuant to s. 350.031.(2)(a) Each commissioner serving on July 1, 1978, shall be permitted to remain in office until the completion of his or her current term. Upon the expiration of the term, a successor shall be appointed in the…
The state regulatory agency heretofore known as the Florida Railroad and Public Utilities Commission or Florida Public Utilities Commission shall be known and hereafter called Florida Public Service Commission, and all rights, powers, duties, responsibilities, jurisdiction, and judicial powers now vested in said Railro…
The Governor shall have the same power to remove, suspend, or appoint to fill vacancies in the office of commissioners as in other offices, as set forth in s. 7, Art. IV of the State Constitution.
(1)(a) There is created a Florida Public Service Commission Nominating Council consisting of 12 members. At least one member of the council must be 60 years of age or older. Six members, including three members of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party, shall be appointed by a…
A commissioner may not, at the time of appointment or during his or her term of office:(1) Have any financial interest, other than ownership of shares in a mutual fund, in any business entity which, either directly or indirectly, owns or controls any public utility regulated by the commission, in any public utility reg…
(1) STATEMENT OF INTENT.—In addition to the provisions of part III of chapter 112, which are applicable to public service commissioners by virtue of their being public officers and full-time employees of the legislative branch of government, the conduct of public service commissioners shall be governed by the standards…
(1) A commissioner should accord to every person who is legally interested in a proceeding, or the person’s lawyer, full right to be heard according to law, and, except as authorized by law, shall neither initiate nor consider ex parte communications concerning the merits, threat, or offer of reward in any proceeding u…
Any violation of s. 350.031, s. 350.04, s. 350.041, s. 350.042, or s. 350.0605 by a commissioner, former commissioner, former employee, or Public Service Commission Nominating Council member shall be punishable as provided in ss. 112.317 and 112.324. The Commission on Ethics is hereby given the power and authority to i…
Before entering upon the duties of his or her office each commissioner shall subscribe to the following oath: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, protect and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States and of the State of Florida; that I am qualified to hold office under the constituti…
(1) The offices of said commissioners shall be in the vicinity of Tallahassee, but the commissioners may hold sessions anywhere in the state at their discretion.(2) All sums of money authorized to be paid on account of said commissioners shall be paid out of the State Treasury only on the order of the Chief Financial O…
The Florida Public Service Commission may adopt rules and procedures for purchases of commodities and services, including procurement of vehicles, office space, and contractual services necessary for efficient operation. These procedures must recognize that fair and open competition is a basic tenet of public procureme…
(1) Any former commissioner of the Public Service Commission is prohibited from appearing before the commission representing any client or any industry regulated by the Public Service Commission for a period of 2 years following termination of service on the commission.(2) Any former employee of the commission is prohi…
(1) The committee designated by joint rule of the Legislature or by agreement between the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as the Committee on Public Counsel Oversight shall appoint a Public Counsel to represent the general public of Florida before the Florida Public Service Commi…
It shall be the duty of the Public Counsel to provide legal representation for the people of the state in proceedings before the commission and in proceedings before counties pursuant to s. 367.171(8). The Public Counsel shall have such powers as are necessary to carry out the duties of his or her office, including, bu…
The Public Counsel shall maintain his or her office in Leon County on the premises of the commission or, if suitable space there cannot be provided, at such other place convenient to the offices of the commissioners as will enable him or her to carry out expeditiously the duties and functions of his or her office.
The committee may authorize the Public Counsel to employ clerical and technical assistants whose qualifications, duties, and responsibilities the committee shall from time to time prescribe. The committee may from time to time authorize retention of the services of additional attorneys or experts to the extent that the…
(1) The salaries and expenses of the Public Counsel and his or her employees shall be allocated by the committee only from moneys appropriated to the Public Counsel by the Legislature.(2) The Legislature declares and determines that the Public Counsel is under the legislative branch of government within the intention o…
As used in ss. 350.111-350.117 and ss. 350.121-350.128, “regulated company” means any public utility as defined in s. 366.02 or any person holding a valid and current certificate from the commission under chapter 351, chapter 364, chapter 365, or chapter 367.
(1) There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the “Florida Public Service Regulatory Trust Fund” which shall be used in the operation of the commission in the performance of the various functions and duties required of it by law.(2) All fees, licenses, and other charges collected…
The commission may prescribe by rule uniform systems and classifications of accounts for each type of regulated company and approve or establish adequate, fair, and reasonable depreciation rates and charges.
(1) The commission may require such regular or emergency reports, including, but not limited to, financial reports, as the commission deems necessary to fulfill its obligations under the law.(2) The commission may perform management and operation audits of any regulated company. The commission may consider the results…
If the commission undertakes an inquiry, any records, documents, papers, maps, books, tapes, photographs, files, sound recordings, or other business material, regardless of form or characteristics, obtained by the commission incident to the inquiry are considered confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) while the inqu…
The commission may administer oaths, take depositions, issue protective orders, issue subpoenas, and compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers, documents, and other evidence necessary for the purpose of any investigation or proceeding. Challenges to, and enforcement of, such subpoenas and o…
If any person called to testify in a commission proceeding shall refuse to testify because of a claim of possible self-incrimination, the commission, after consultation with the appropriate state attorney, may apply to the chief judge of the appropriate judicial circuit for a judicial grant of immunity ordering the tes…