Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 617: Public utilities; reestablish a consumer utility counsel to represent consumers in matters before the Public Service Commission or other agencies
Last action February 27, 2025 · House Second Readers
A House bill would recreate an independent Office of the Consumers' Utility Counsel in Georgia to represent everyday ratepayers before the Public Service Commission and other agencies over utility rates and services.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia currently has a reserved, unused chapter of law where a consumer utility advocate office once existed. This bill would fill in that chapter to create the Office of the Consumers' Utility Counsel, housed administratively in the Department of Law, led by a director appointed by a five-member committee made up of House and Senate leaders from both parties plus one appointee of the Governor. The director, who must be a practicing attorney experienced in utility law, would represent individual and small business consumers in cases before the Public Service Commission, other state and federal agencies, and courts involving utility rates and services. The director could hire staff, take depositions, and request help from Public Service Commission staff. The office must be notified of utility filings and given at least ten days' notice before hearings. Compensation matches the salary set for district attorneys. The bill repeals conflicting laws.
What the bill does
- Creates the Office of the Consumers' Utility Counsel within Title 46 of Georgia law, assigned administratively to the Department of Law.
- Establishes a director position, appointed and removable by a five-member bipartisan legislative and gubernatorial committee, to lead the office.
- Authorizes the director to represent consumers before the Public Service Commission, other state and federal agencies, and courts in utility rate and service cases.
- Requires that the director be served notice of utility filings and given at least ten days' written notice before commission hearings.
- Gives the director power to take depositions, obtain discovery, and hire attorneys, experts, and other staff using appropriated funds.
- Requires Public Service Commission engineers, accountants, and other technical staff to assist the director upon request.
Who it affects
Individual Georgia utility customers, small businesses and sole proprietors with ten or fewer employees and modest income, the Public Service Commission and its staff, the Department of Law, and legislative and executive leaders who appoint the director.
Why it matters
If enacted, ordinary Georgians and small businesses would gain a dedicated legal advocate to argue against utility rate increases or service changes before regulators and courts, potentially affecting electricity, gas, water, or telephone rates and how those cases are decided.
Key provisions
- Section 46-10-1 states legislative findings that Georgians should get adequate utility service at the lowest reasonable cost while utilities remain financially viable.
- Section 46-10-2 defines 'consumer' to include individuals and small entities with ten or fewer employees and net income of $100,000 or less annually.
- Section 46-10-3 creates the office and director position, sets appointment by a five-member committee, ties director pay to district attorney salary levels, and requires an annual written report by December 31.
- Section 46-10-4 authorizes the director to appear in commission, federal agency, and judicial proceedings on behalf of consumers.
- Section 46-10-5 requires the director to receive notice and at least ten days' warning before commission hearings, and authorizes depositions and discovery.
- Section 46-10-6 lets the director hire staff and experts, but only using funds already appropriated for that purpose.
- Section 46-10-7 requires Public Service Commission technical staff to assist the director and gives the office access to commission records.
- Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.
From the bill
“It is the purpose of this chapter to ensure that the commission receives such information, particularly in those cases which directly involve the vast majority of Georgia's citizens.”
“The commission shall not proceed to hear or determine any petition, complaint, or proceeding in which the director is entitled to appear unless it shall affirmatively appear that the director was given at least ten days' written notice thereof”
Discussed in meetings (1)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Transportation Committee, March 19, 2026
From 0:26:12 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair introduced HB 617 as the basis for freight planning and annual reporting, including traffic and truck-parking needs around ports and industrial areas. The GDOT planning director said it requires business-focused measures, a long-term project list and annual funding and progress reports. The director reported 311 freight projects totaling $2.2 billion in 2025, with 84% on schedule, and a 20-year plan totaling $63 billion, including $38 billion for maintenance. Asked about project schedules, the director pointed members to online and printed details and clarified that the 38 bridge projects included planning and construction, not necessarily completed repairs. The director warned that funding would not meet future maintenance needs and said national highway construction costs had risen nearly 70% since 2021. Members requested Georgia-specific cost comparisons. On truck safety, the vice chair requested crash-fault data, and the director agreed to investigate. On parking, the director estimated roughly 400 possible additional spaces on state property, said the greatest shortages were near metro Atlanta and described plans to explore private partnerships. Another member questioned whether private parking development was meeting demand. The director also promised members a completed Gainesville inland-port traffic study. No amendment or vote occurred.
Status timeline
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Ruwa Romman (D, HD-97)
- Jordan Ridley (R, HD-22)
- Karen Lupton (D, HD-83)
- Alan Powell (R, HD-33)
- Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
- Scott Holcomb (D, HD-101)
Topics
- utility rates
- consumer protection
- Public Service Commission
- state government offices