Colorado § 40-2-104 - Assistants and employees - utilization of independent experts.

§ 40-2-104. Assistants and employees - utilization of independent experts.

(1) The director of the commission may appoint such experts, engineers, statisticians, accountants, investigative personnel, clerks, and other employees as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this title or to perform the duties and exercise the powers conferred by law upon the commission.

(2) (Deleted by amendment, L. 93, p. 2058, § 6, effective July 1, 1993.)

(3) The director of the commission shall hire and designate employees of the commission as administrative law judges who shall have the power to administer oaths, examine witnesses, receive evidence, and conduct hearings, investigations, and other proceedings on behalf of the commission.

(4) (a) Of the money that the commission receives from the public utilities commission fixed utility fund pursuant to section 40-2-114 (1)(b)(II), up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars per year may be allocated to personal services contracts with outside consultants and experts that meet criteria specified by the commission.

(b) The amount allocated for outside consultants and experts pursuant to subsection (4)(a) of this section shall be adjusted annually in accordance with changes in the United States department of labor's bureau of labor statistics consumer price index for Denver-Aurora-Lakewood for all items and all urban consumers, or its successor index.

(5) The commission shall employ and designate employees of the commission to perform internal and external communications and engagement functions, including to ensure consistency and inclusiveness of public comment hearings and to promote effective interagency coordination.

Source: L. 13: p. 466, § 7. C.L. § 2918. CSA: C. 137, § 8. CRS 53: § 115-2-4. C.R.S. 1963: § 115-2-4. L. 69: p. 928, § 5. L. 89: (1) and (3) amended, p. 1524, § 3, effective April 12. L. 93: Entire section amended, p. 2058, § 6, effective July 1. L. 2021: (4) added, (SB 21-272), ch. 220, p. 1156, § 1, effective June 10. L. 2026: (5) added, (HB 26-1326), ch. 210, p. 1215, § 6, effective August 12.

Editor's note: Section 50(2) of chapter 210 (HB 26-1326), Session Laws of Colorado 2026, provides that the act changing this section applies to conduct occurring on or after August 12, 2026.

ANNOTATION

Formal complaint not required to initiate investigation. The public utilities commission has broad investigatory powers authorizing it to conduct an investigation without the formality of a written complaint. Eddie's Leaf Spring v. PUC, 218 P.3d 326 (Colo. 2009).