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<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="25-508" title_number="25" title_name="Rates and Charges" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Service Rates">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section applies only in Prince George’s County.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is an Office of Prince George’s County Ombudsman in the Commission.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Prince George’s County Executive, with the approval of the Prince George’s County Council, shall appoint an Ombudsman.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Prince George’s County shall:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>pay the Ombudsman’s salary;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>provide to the Ombudsman any benefits available to other employees of Prince George’s County; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>provide funding for the Office of the Ombudsman.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The county may pay for any legal expenses incurred by the Ombudsman, as provided in the county budget.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Prince George’s County Council shall determine the salary of the Ombudsman.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>While holding office, the Ombudsman may participate in any Commission program of group health, life, or disability insurance to the same extent and under the same terms as other Commission officers and employees.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Ombudsman may represent the interests of a Prince George’s County residential or commercial customer who files a written claim with the Commission for:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a refund of a payment on a bill for water and sewer usage charges that exceeds the amount that is properly and legally payable; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>a reduction in a bill for water and sewer usage charges that exceeds the amount that is properly and legally payable that has not yet been paid.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Ombudsman:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>receive a copy of, and review, any written claim filed with the Commission under § 25–106(b) of this title;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>investigate the merits of the claim;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>attend any hearing held in accordance with § 25–106(c)(2) of this title and present any findings and recommendations on the merits of the claim during the hearing; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>prepare a written statement of findings and recommendations on the claim and provide copies of the statement to the Commission and the claimant; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>may represent the customer in any appeal process.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, as to Prince George’s County residential customers, if all undisputed bills for water and sewer usage charges are paid when due, the Commission may not interrupt service during the pendency of a written claim filed for a reduction in a bill for water and sewer usage charges that exceeds the amount that is properly and legally payable.</text>
  </level>
</section>
