Sec. 506.

(1) Upon the receipt of a complaint filed by a person alleging a violation of section 505 or 507, an end-user who has been switched to another provider or had services added in violation of section 505 or 507, or a provider who has been removed as an end-user's provider without the end-user's authorization, or upon the commission's own motion, the commission may conduct a contested case as provided under section 203. The commission shall create, and shall supply upon request, a form affidavit designed to enable an end-user to provide all information necessary to promote efficient resolution of complaints alleging a violation of section 505 or 507. Hearings conducted under this section shall comply with the following requirements:

(a) Hearings shall be conducted in a manner as to optimize expediency, convenience, and the ability of end-users to bring and prosecute, without the assistance of counsel, complaints alleging violations of section 505 or 507, while preserving the rights of the parties.

(b) If possible, the commission shall hold the hearing at a location near the end-user's residence or place of business.

(2) If the commission finds that a person has violated section 505 or 507 or an order issued under section 505 or 507, the commission shall order remedies and penalties to protect and make whole end-users and other persons who have suffered damages as a result of the violation, including, but not limited to, 1 or more of the following:

(a) Order the person to pay a fine for the first offense of not less than $20,000.00 or more than $30,000.00. For a second and any subsequent offense, the commission shall order the person to pay a fine of not less than $30,000.00 or more than $50,000.00. If the commission finds that the second or any of the subsequent offenses were knowingly made in violation of section 505 or 507, the commission shall order the person to pay a fine of not more than $70,000.00. Each switch made in violation of section 505 or service added in violation of 507 shall be a separate offense under this subdivision.

(b) Order an unauthorized provider to refund to the end-user any amount greater than the end-user would have paid to an authorized provider.

(c) Order a portion between 10% to 50% of the fine assessed under subdivision (a) be paid directly to the customer who suffered the violation of section 505 or 507.

(d) Order an unauthorized provider to reimburse an authorized provider an amount equal to the amount paid by the end-user that should have been paid to the authorized provider.

(e) If the person is licensed under this act, revoke the license if the commission finds a pattern of violations of section 505 or 507.

(f) Issue cease and desist orders.

(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), a fine shall not be imposed for a violation of section 505 or 507 if the provider has otherwise fully complied with sections 505 and 507 and shows that the violation was an unintentional and bona fide error notwithstanding the maintenance of procedures reasonably adopted to avoid the error. Examples of a bona fide error include clerical, calculation, computer malfunction, programming, or printing errors. An error in legal judgment with respect to a person's obligations under section 505 is not a bona fide error. The burden of proving that a violation was an unintentional and bona fide error is on the provider.

(4) If the commission finds that a party's complaint or defense filed under this section is frivolous, the commission shall award to the prevailing party costs, including reasonable attorney fees, against the nonprevailing party and their attorney.

History: Add. 1998, Act 259, Eff. Oct. 1, 1998 ;-- Am. 2000, Act 295, Imd. Eff. July 17, 2000