HB13-1218 Summary

• Transfers the trial advocacy staff of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to the Office of Consumer Counsel, effective July 1, 2013.

• Employees transferred from the commission retain all state personnel system rights, retirement benefits, and continuous service credit, with transfers processed according to state personnel system laws.

• Defines "consumer" broadly as any public utility customer and repeals separate definitions for "agricultural consumer," "residential consumer," and "small business consumer."

• Consumer counsel supervises the transferred trial advocacy staff and determines whether staff will intervene in docketed proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission or state or federal courts.

• Removes language requiring the Office of Consumer Counsel board and consumer counsel to represent specific consumer categories and instead directs representation of all consumers' interests.