Michigan § 460.6l - Insuring equitable representation of interests of energy utility customers; definitions; utility consumer participation board; creation; powers and duties; number and appointment of members; “utility” defined; member requirements; terms; vacancy; removal of member; meetings; quorum; election of chairperson and vice-chairperson; conducting business of board at public meeting; public notice; availability of writings to public; expense reimbursement and remuneration.

(1) For purposes of implementing sections 6a, 6h, 6j, 6s, and 6t, this section and section 6m provide a means of insuring equitable representation of the interests of energy utility customers.

(2) As used in this section and section 6m:

(a) "Annual receipts" means the payments received by the fund under section 6m(2)(a), (b), (c), and (d) during a calendar year.

(b) "Board" means the utility consumer participation board created under subsection (3).

(c) "Commission" means the Michigan public service commission.

(d) "Department" means the department of licensing and regulatory affairs.

(e) "Energy cost recovery proceeding" means any proceeding to establish or implement a gas cost recovery clause or a power supply cost recovery clause as provided in section 6h or 6j, to set gas cost recovery factors under section 6h(17), or to set power supply cost recovery factors under section 6j(18).

(f) "Energy utility" means each electric or gas company regulated by the commission.

(g) "Fund" means the utility consumer representation fund created in section 6m.

(h) "Household" means a single-family home, duplex, mobile home, seasonal dwelling, farm home, cooperative, condominium, or apartment that has normal household facilities such as a bathroom, individual cooking facilities, and kitchen sink facilities. Household does not include a penal or corrective institution, or a motel, hotel, or other similar structure if used as a transient dwelling.

(i) "Jurisdictional" means subject to rate regulation by the commission.

(j) "Net grant proceeds" means the annual receipts of the fund less the amounts reserved for the attorney general's use and the amounts expended for board expenses and operation.

(k) "Residential energy utility consumer" or "consumer" means a customer of an energy utility who receives utility service for use within an individual household or an improvement reasonably appurtenant to and normally associated with an individual household.

(l) "Residential tariff sales" means those sales by an energy utility that are subject to residential tariffs on file with the commission.

(m) "Utility consuming industry" means a person, sole proprietorship, partnership, association, corporation, or other entity that receives utility service ordinarily and primarily for use in connection with the manufacture, sale, or distribution of goods or the provision of services, but does not include a nonprofit organization representing residential utility customers.

(3) The utility consumer participation board is created within the department and shall exercise its powers and duties under this act independently of the department. The procurement and related management functions of the board shall be performed under the direction and supervision of the department. The board shall consist of 5 members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be chosen from 1 or more lists of qualified persons submitted by the attorney general.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (5) only, "utility" means an electric or gas company located in or outside of this state.

(5) Each member of the board shall meet the following requirements:

(a) Shall be an advocate for the interests of residential utility consumers, as demonstrated by the member's knowledge of and support for consumer interests and concerns in general or specifically related to utility matters.

(b) Shall not be, or shall not have been within the 5 years preceding appointment, a member of a governing body of, or employed in a managerial or professional or consulting capacity by a utility or an association representing utilities; an enterprise or professional practice that received over $1,500.00 in the year preceding the appointment as a supplier of goods or services to a utility or association representing utilities; or an organization representing employees of such a utility, association, enterprise, or professional practice, or an association that represents such an organization.

(c) Shall not have, or shall not have had within 1 year preceding appointment, a financial interest exceeding $1,500.00 in a utility, an association representing utilities, or an enterprise or professional practice that received over $1,500.00 in the year preceding the appointment as a supplier of goods or services to a utility or association representing utilities.

(d) Shall not be an officer or director of an applicant for a grant under section 6m.

(e) Shall not be a member of the immediate family of an individual who would be ineligible under subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d).

(6) The members of the board shall be appointed for 2-year terms beginning with the first day of a legislative session in an odd-numbered year and ending on the day before the first day of the legislative session in the next odd-numbered year or when the members' successors are appointed, whichever occurs later. The governor shall not appoint a member to the board for a term commencing after the governor's term of office has ended. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. If the vacancy is created other than by expiration of a term, the member shall be appointed for the balance of the unexpired term of the member to be succeeded.

(7) The governor shall remove a member of the board if that member is absent for any reason from either 3 consecutive board meetings or more than 50% of the meetings held by the board in a calendar year. However, an individual who is removed due to absenteeism is eligible for reappointment to fill a vacancy that occurs in the board membership. The governor also shall remove a member of the board if the member is subsequently determined to be ineligible under subsection (5).

(8) The board shall hold bimonthly meetings and additional meetings as necessary. A quorum consists of 3 members. A majority vote of the members appointed and serving is necessary for a decision. At its first meeting following the appointment of new members, or as soon as possible after the first meeting, the board shall elect biennially from its membership a chairperson and a vice-chairperson.

(9) The board shall not act directly to represent the interests of residential utility consumers except through administration of the fund and grant program under this section.

(10) The business that the board may perform shall be conducted at a public meeting of the board held in compliance with the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to 15.275. Public notice of the time, date, and place of the meeting shall be given in the manner required by the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to 15.275.

(11) A writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the board in the performance of an official function shall be made available to the public in compliance with the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.

(12) A member of the board may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses, including travel expenses to and from each meeting held by the board, incurred in discharging the member's duties under this section and section 6m. In addition to expense reimbursement, a board member may receive remuneration from the board of $100.00 per meeting attended, not to exceed $1,000.00 in a calendar year. These limits shall be adjusted proportionately to an adjustment in the remittance amounts under section 6m(4) to allow for changes in the cost of living.