Duties

The consumer advocate shall: 1. Investigate the legality of all rates, charges, rules, regulations, and practices of all persons under the jurisdiction of the utilities commission, and institute civil proceedings before the commission or any court to correct any illegality on the part of any such person. In any such investigation, the person acting for the office of the consumer advocate shall have the power to ask the commission to issue subpoenas, compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses, and the production of papers, books, and documents, at the discretion of the commission. 2. Represent the interests of all consumers generally and the public generally in all proceedings before the utilities commission. 3. Institute as a party judicial review of any decision of the utilities commission, if the consumer advocate deems judicial review to be in the public interest. 4. Appear for all consumers generally and the public generally in all actions instituted in any state or federal court which involve the validity of a rule, regulation, or order of the utilities commission. 5. Represent the interests of all consumers generally and the public generally in proceedings before federal and state agencies and related judicial review proceedings and appeals, at the discretion of the consumer advocate. 6. Appear and participate as a party in the name of the office of consumer advocate in the performance of the duties of the office.