,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cbdj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,june #ab1 #bjai,ms4  
,s*ak[sky 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,k5n$y1 ,ms4  
,ku/] ( ,new ,hamp%ire1 & ,mr4 ,lyn*7   
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,a  
,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,f$]al ,p[] ,act to  
e/abli% an ,(fice ( ,public             
,p>ticipation & ,consum] ,advocacy4  #a4
 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !  
,public ,engagem5t at ,,f]c ,act4  #b4  
,(fice ( ,public ,p>ticipation &        
,consum] ,advocacy ,section #cai ( !    
,f$]al ,p[] ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4         
#hbeq-#a7 is am5d$ to read z foll[s3    
#cai4 ,(fice ( ,public ,p>ticipation &  
,consum] ,advocacy  7a7 ,def9itions ,9  
?is section3 7#a7 ,advisory ,committee  
,! t]m ,advisory ,committee means !     
,public & ,consum] ,advocacy ,advisory  
,committee e/abli%$ "u subsection       
7f77#a74  7#b7 ,director ,! t]m         
,director means ! ,director ( ! ,(fice  
appo9t$ "u subsection 7c77#a74  7#c7    

,en]gy cu/om] ,! t]m en]gy cu/om] means 
a resid5tial cu/om] or a small comm]cial
 cu/om] t receives products or s]vices  
f--  7,a7 a public utility or natural   
gas company "u ! jurisdiction ( !       
,commission2 or  7,b7 an electric       
coop]ative4  7#d7 ,natural gas company  
,! t]m natural gas company has ! mean+  
giv5 ! t]m natural-gas company 9 section
 #b ( ! ,natural ,gas ,act 7#ae         
,u4,s4,c4 #gag;a71 z modifi$ by section 
#fja7;a77#a77;,c7 ( ! ,natural ,gas     
,policy ,act ( #aigh 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4     
#cdca7;a77#a77;,c774  7#e7 ,(fice ,! t]m
 ,(fice means ! ,(fice ( ,public        
,p>ticipation & ,consum] ,advocacy      
e/abli%$ by subsection 7b74  7b7        
,e/abli%m5t ,!re is e/abli%$ )9 !       
,commission an (fice1 to be kn[n z !    
,(fice ( ,public ,p>ticipation &        
,consum] ,advocacy4  7c7 ,director  7#a7
 ,9 g5]al ,! ,(fice %all be head$ by a  
,director1 to be appo9t$ by ! ,secret>y 
( ,en]gy f among individuals :o--  7,a7 
are lic5s$ attorneys admitt$ to ! b> (--

 7i7 any ,/ate2 or  7ii7 ! ,di/rict (   
,columbia2 &  7,b7 h exp]i5ce relat+ to 
public utility proce$+s4  7#b7 ,duties  
,! ,director %all coord9ate assi/ance   
made available to-- 7,a7 ! public1 )    
respect to au?orities ex]cis$ by !      
,commission2 &  7,b7 individuals &      
entities int]v5+ or p>ticipat+1 or      
propos+ to int]v5e or p>ticipate1 9     
proce$+s be=e ! ,commission4  7#c7      
,comp5sation & p[]s  7,a7 ,comp5sation  
,! ,director %all be comp5sat$ at a rate
 equal to ! daily equival5t ( ! annual  
rate ( basic pay prescrib$ = level ,,iv 
( ! ,executive ,s*$ule "u section #ecae 
( title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7,b7  
,p[]s ,! ,director may-- 7i7 employ at !
 ,(fice--  7,i7 n m ?an #abe full-"t    
pr(essional employees at appropriate    
levels ( ! ,g5]al ,s*$ule2 &  7,,ii7 su*
 additional support p]sonnel z !        
,director det]m9es to be necess>y2 &    
7ii7 procure = ! ,(fice su* tempor>y &  
int]mitt5t s]vices z ! ,director        
det]m9es to be necess>y4  7d7 ,p[]s (   

,(fice ,! ,(fice may-- 7#a7 int]v5e1    
appe>1 & p>ticipate1 9 accordance ) ?is 
section1 9 adm9i/rative1 regulatory1 or 
judicial proce$+s on behalf ( en]gy     
cu/om]s ) respect to any matt] conc]n+  
natural gas sit+ & infra/ructure        
developm5t "u ! jurisdiction ( !        
,commission or ! rates1 *>ges1 prices1  
t>iffs1 or s]vice ( public utilities &  
natural gas companies "u ! jurisdiction 
( ! ,commission by repres5t+ ! int]e/s (
 ! en]gy cu/om]s--  7,a7 on any matt]   
be=e ! ,commission conc]n+ rates or     
s]vice ( su* a public utility or natural
 gas company2 or  7,b7 z amicus curiae  
9-- 7i7 a review 9 any ,unit$ ,/ates    
c\rt ( a rul+ by ! ,commission 9 su* a  
matt]2 or  7ii7 a he>+ or proce$+ 9 any 
o!r ,f$]al regulatory ag5cy or          
commission relat+ to su* a matt]2  7#b7 
support public p>ticipation 9 ! sit+ &  
p]mitt+ ( natural gas /orage &          
di/ribution infra/ructure "u !          
jurisdiction ( ! ,commission2  7#c7     
monitor & review en]gy cu/om] compla9ts 

& grievances on matt]s conc]n+ rates or 
s]vice ( public utilities & natural gas 
companies "u ! jurisdiction ( !         
,commission2  7#d7 employ means1 su* z  
public dissem9ation ( in=mation1        
consultative s]vices1 & te*nical        
assi/ance1 to ensure1 to ! maximum ext5t
 practicable1 t ! int]e/s ( en]gy       
cu/om]s are adequately repres5t$ 9 !    
c\rse ( any he>+ or proce$+ describ$ 9  
p>agraph 7#a72  7#e7 collect data       
conc]n+ rates or s]vice ( public        
utilities & natural gas companies "u !  
jurisdiction ( ! ,commission2  7#f7     
prep>e & issue reports & recomm5dations2
 &  7#g7 take su* o!r actions z !       
,director det]m9es to be necess>y to    
ensure j & reasonable rates = en]gy     
cu/om]s4  7e7 ,in=mation f ,f$]al       
dep>tm5ts & ag5cies  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!   
,director may secure directly f a ,f$]al
 dep>tm5t or ag5cy su* in=mation z !    
,director consid]s to be necess>y to    
c>ry out ?is section4  7#b7 ,provision (
 in=mation ,on reque/ ( ! ,director "u  

p>agraph 7#a71 ! head ( a ,f$]al        
dep>tm5t or ag5cy %all1 to ! ext5t      
practicable & au?oriz$ by law1 provide !
 in=mation to ! ,(fice4  7f7 ,public &  
,consum] ,advocacy ,advisory ,committee 
7#a7 ,e/abli%m5t ,! ,director %all      
e/abli% an advisory committee1 to be    
kn[n z ! ,public & ,consum] ,advocacy   
,advisory ,committee-- 7,a7 to review   
rates1 s]vices1 & disputes2 &  7,b7 to  
make recomm5dations to ! ,director4     
7#b7 ,composition ,! ,advisory          
,committee %all--  7,a7 be compos$ ( su*
 memb]s z ! ,director det]m9es to be    
appropriate2 b  7,b7 include n few]     
?an--  7i7 #b individuals repres5t+     
,/ate utility consum] advocates2 &  7ii7
 #a individual repres5t+ a nongov]nm5tal
 organization t repres5ts consum]s4     
7#c7 ,meet+s ,! ,advisory ,committee    
%all meet at su* frequ5cy z is requir$  
to c>ry out ! duties ( ! ,advisory      
,committee4  7#d7 ,reports ,! ,director 
%all publi% ! recomm5dations ( !        
,advisory ,committee on ! public int]net

 website e/abli%$ = ! ,(fice4  7#e7     
,duration ,not)/&+ any o!r provision (  
law1 ! ,advisory ,committee %all cont9ue
 9 op]ation dur+ ! p]iod = :i* ! ,(fice 
exi/s4  7#f7 ,application ( ,,faca      
,except z o!rwise specifically provid$1 
! ,advisory ,committee %all be subject  
to ! ,f$]al ,advisory ,committee ,act   
7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app474  7g7 ,reports &   
guidance ,z ! ,director det]m9es to be  
appropriate1 ! ,(fice %all issue to !   
,commission & entities subject to       
regulation by ! ,commission reports &   
guidance--  7#a7 reg>d+ m>ket practices2
  7#b7 propos+ improvem5ts 9 ,commission
 monitor+ ( m>ket practices2 &  7#c7    
address+ pot5tial improvem5ts to indu/ry
 & ,commission practices4  7h7 ,outrea* 
,! ,(fice %all promote1 ?r\gh outrea*1  
publications1 &1 z appropriate1 direct  
communication ) entities regulat$ by !  
,commission--  7#a7 improv$ compliance )
 ,commission rules & ord]s2 &  7#b7     
public p>ticipation 9 ! sit+ & p]mitt+ (
 natural gas /orage & di/ribution       

infra/ructure "u ! jurisdiction ( !     
,commission4  7i7 ,comp5sation to       
eligible recipi5ts = int]v5tion or      
p>ticipation  7#a7 ,def9ition ( eligible
 recipi5t ,9 ?is subsection1 ! t]m      
eligible recipi5t means an individual or
 entity-- 7,a7 t int]v5es or p>ticipates
 9 any proce$+ be=e ! ,commission2  7,b7
 ! int]v5tion or p>ticipation ( :i*     
sub/antially contribut$ to ! approval1 9
 :ole or 9 "p1 ( a position advocat$ by 
! individual or entity 9 ! proce$+2 &   
7,c7 t is-- 7i7 an individual2  7ii7 an 
en]gy cu/om]2 or  7iii7 a repres5tative 
( ! int]e/s ( en]gy cu/om]s4  7#b7      
,comp5sation ,subject to p>agraph 7#c71 
! ,commission1 9 accordance )           
regulations promulgat$ by ! ,commission1
 may provide to any eligible recipi5t   
comp5sation = reasonable attorney fees1 
exp]t witness fees1 & o!r co/s ( int]v5+
 or p>ticipat+ 9 ! applicable proce$+   
be=e ! ,commission4  7#c7 ,requirem5t ,!
 ,commission may only provide           
comp5sation "u p>agraph 7#b7 if !       

,commission det]m9es t-- 7,a7 !         
applicable proce$+ is significant2  7,b7
 ! comp5sation is approv$ by ! ,advisory
 ,committee2 &  7,c7 ! int]v5tion or    
p>ticipation by ! eligible recipi5t 9 ! 
proce$+ )\t receipt ( comp5sation       
con/itutes a significant f9ancial h>d%ip
 to ! eligible recipi5t4  7j7 ,sav+s    
clause ,no?+ 9 ?is section re/ricts or  
o!rwise affects-- 7#a7 any "r or        
obligation ( an int]v5or1 p>ticipant1   
,/ate utility consum] advocate1 en]gy   
cu/om]1 or gr\p ( en]gy cu/om]s "u any  
o!r applicable provision ( law 7includ+ 
regulations72 or  7#b7 ! "w (           
,commission trial /aff 9 repres5t+ !    
public int]e/ & pursu+ appropriate      
resolutions 9 conte/$ matt]s be=e !     
,commission4  7k7 ,fund+ ,( ! am\nts    
receiv$ by ! ,commission = fiscal ye>   
#bjbj & ea* fiscal ye> !reaft] z a      
result ( any fee impos$ by !            
,commission1 ! ,commission %all use su* 
sums z are necess>y to e/abli% & provide
 = ! op]ation ( ! ,(fice "u ?is section4

  4