2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 66 - PUBLIC UTILITIES
Chapter 3 - Public Utility Commission
304 - Administrative law judges.

     § 304.  Administrative law judges.
        (a)  General rule.--The office of administrative law judge to
     the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is hereby created.
     The commission shall have the power to appoint as many qualified
     and competent administrative law judges as may be necessary for
     proceedings pursuant to this part, and who shall devote full
     time to their official duties and who shall perform no duties
     inconsistent with their duties and responsibilities as
     administrative law judges. Administrative law judges shall be
     afforded employment security as provided by the act of August 5,
     1941 (P.L.752, No.286), known as the "Civil Service Act."
     Compensation for administrative law judges shall be established
     by the commission. If the commission is occasionally and
     temporarily understaffed of administrative law judges, the
     commission may appoint qualified and competent persons who meet
     the minimum standards established by this part to temporarily
     serve as such judges, who shall serve at the pleasure of the
     commission and shall receive such compensation as the commission
     may establish.
        (b)  Staff.--The commission may appoint secretaries and legal
     or technical advisors to assist each judge in performance of his
     duties or may assign personnel from any of the other bureaus
     within the commission.
        (c)  Qualifications.--All judges must meet the following
     minimum requirements:
            (1)  Be an attorney in good standing before the Supreme
        Court of Pennsylvania.
            (2)  Have three years of practice before administrative
        agencies or equivalent experience.
            (3)  Conform to such other requirements as shall be
        established by the commission.
        (d)  Chief administrative law judge.--The commission shall
     appoint a chief administrative law judge who shall be
     responsible for assigning a hearing judge to every proceeding
     before the commission which may require the utilization of an
     administrative law judge and who shall receive remuneration
     above that of any other administrative law judge. The position
     of chief administrative law judge may not be withdrawn from a
     person so appointed, nor his salary diminished, except for good
     cause shown. The chief administrative law judge shall have such
     other responsibilities as the commission may by rule prescribe.
     (June 29, 1982, P.L.658, No.187, eff. imd.; Oct. 31, 1995,
     P.L.348, No.59, eff. 60 days)

        1995 Amendment.  Act 59 amended subsec. (d).
        1982 Amendment.  Act 187 amended subsec. (a).