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<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="17-401" title_number="17" title_name="Commission" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Miscellaneous Powers and Duties">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Payee” means a person that receives from the Commission an aggregate payment of $25,000 in a single fiscal year.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Payee” does not include:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a Commission employee with respect to the employee’s compensation; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>a Commission retiree with respect to the retiree’s retirement allowance.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Searchable website” means a website created in accordance with this section that displays and searches payment data of the Commission.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Commission shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>publish annually in at least one newspaper in Montgomery County and one newspaper in Prince George’s County a copy of the current financial statement of the Commission;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>employ a certified public accountant licensed to practice in the State to audit the books and accounts of the Commission;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>keep available for public inspection during business hours at its principal office the annual audit and current financial statement; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>file annually with the county executives and county councils of Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, and the Montgomery County and Prince George’s County Senate and House delegations to the Maryland General Assembly a certified copy of the annual audit and current financial statement.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>On or before July 1, 2020, the Commission shall develop and operate a single searchable website accessible to the public at no cost through the Internet.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The searchable website shall contain Commission payment data including:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the name of each payee receiving a payment;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the location of the payee by postal zip code; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the amount of the payment.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The searchable website shall allow the user to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>search data for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>search by the following data fields:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a payee receiving a payment; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the zip code of a payee receiving a payment.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the searchable website shall contain:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>any documents relating to a bond rating received from a major credit rating agency;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>data related to the Refund Hearing Board of the Commission, including:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the number of cases filed;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the number of cases closed;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>the number of cases granted;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>the number of cases denied;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>the refund amount requested in each case; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>the refund amount granted in each case;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>data related to the Dispute Resolving Board of the Commission, including:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the number of cases filed;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the number of cases closed;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>the number of cases granted;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>the number of cases denied;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>the unpaid amount disputed in each case; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>the amount of relief granted in each case; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a copy of any stress testing completed for a long–range comprehensive financial plan developed in accordance with § 17–202.1 of this title.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The data provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection may not contain any personally identifiable information.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>This section may not be construed to require the disclosure of information that is required to be kept confidential under federal, State, or local law.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the county council or county executive of Montgomery County or Prince George’s County may, in person or by a duly authorized agent, audit and examine the books and records of the Commission.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission may not be required to pay the cost of the audit or examination under paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
