Authority to exercise power of Attorney General in areas of consumer protection; exceptions; access to records; expenditure of assessment revenues; limitations on powers directly relating to discretionary or competitive telecommunication services

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Consumer’s Advocate may exercise the power of the Attorney General in areas of consumer protection, including, but not limited to, enforcement of chapters 90, 597, 598, 598A, 598B, 598C, 599B and 711 of NRS. 2. The Consumer’s Advocate may not exercise any powers to enforce any criminal statute set forth in: (a) Chapter 90, 597, 598, 598A, 598B, 598C or 599B of NRS for any transaction or activity that involves a proceeding before the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada if the Consumer’s Advocate is participating in that proceeding as a real party in interest on behalf of the customers or a class of customers of utilities; or (b) Chapter 711 of NRS. 3. The Consumer’s Advocate may have access to all records in the possession of any agency, board or commission of this State that he or she determines are necessary for the exercise of the powers set forth in subsection 1. The Consumer’s Advocate does not have custody or control of any record until the Consumer’s Advocate receives the record from the agency, board or commission of this State. If a record that is received by the Consumer’s Advocate pursuant to this subsection is confidential and not a public record when in the custody or control of the agency, board or commission, the record is confidential and not a public record when in the custody or control of the Consumer’s Advocate. 4. The Consumer’s Advocate may expend revenues derived from NRS 704.033 only for activities directly related to the protection of customers of public utilities. 5. The powers of the Consumer’s Advocate do not extend to proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada directly relating to discretionary or competitive telecommunication services.