Montana Consumer Counsel

The Montana legislature created the Office of the Consumer Counsel in 1973. In the same legislation it created the Legislative Consumer Committee which is composed of two members from each the House and Senate of different political parties. The Legislative Consumer Committee meets quarterly with the consumer counsel, approves the counsel's actions and expenditures, and gathers information about the legal cases in which the counsel is involved. The Legislative Consumer Committee appoints the consumer counsel. The counsel is empowered to: appear at Public Service Commission (PSC) hearings as the representative of the consuming public; investigate regulated companies and institute proceedings against them before the PSC; examine in any PSC proceeding any employee of any regulated company and inspect the records of any company; appeal decisions of the PSC in federal or state courts; consult with members or representatives of the consuming public; and subpoena witnesses. The counsel is required to submit annual reports to the Legislative Consumer Committee and recommend legislation to the committee.