BILL NO. 33

(as introduced)

3rd Session, 58th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
52 Elizabeth II, 2003

Private Member's Bill

Public Utilities Act (amended)

Kevin Deveaux
Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage

First Reading: April 10, 2003

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

This Bill provides for the appointment of a Consumer Advocate to represent the interests of the general public in all matters coming before the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 Chapter 380 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Public Utilities Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 47 the following Section:

47A (1) The Governor in Council shall, on the recommendation of the House of Assembly, appoint a person to be the Consumer Advocate.

(2) The Consumer Advocate appointed pursuant to subsection (1) shall represent the interests of the general public in all matters coming before the Board under any enactment.

(3) The House of Assembly shall not make a recommendation to the Governor in Council pursuant to subsection (1) until a special committee of the House has unanimously agreed on a person to be recommended as the Consumer Advocate.

(4) Within six months of the coming into force of this Section, the special committee referred to in subsection (3) shall be established and shall begin an open search, including advertising, for a person to be recommended as the Consumer Advocate.

(5) All costs incurred by the Consumer Advocate in performing the duties of the Consumer Advocate referred to in subsection (2) are expenses of the Board.

(6) The moneys required for the purpose of the special committee referred to in subsection (3) shall be paid out of moneys appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.