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Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 756.160 (2026)

Enforcement of statutes and ordinances relating to utilities

✓ current as of May 2026
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      756.160 Enforcement of statutes and ordinances relating to utilities. (1) The Public Utility Commission shall inquire into any neglect or violation of any law of this state or any law or ordinance of any municipality thereof relating to public utilities and telecommunications utilities by any public utility or telecommunications utility doing business therein, its officers, agents or employees and shall enforce all laws of this state relating to public utilities and telecommunications utilities and may enforce all such laws and ordinances of a municipality. The commission shall report all violations of any such laws or ordinances to the Attorney General.

      (2) The Attorney General, district attorney of each county, all state, county and city police officers and police officers commissioned by a university under ORS 352.121 or 353.125 shall assist the commission in the administration and enforcement of all laws administered by the commission, and they, as well as assistants and employees of the commission, shall inform against and diligently prosecute all persons whom they have reasonable cause to believe guilty of violation of any such laws or of the rules, regulations, orders, decisions or requirements of the commission made pursuant thereto.

      (3) Upon the request of the commission, the Attorney General or the district attorney of the proper county shall aid in any investigation, hearing or trial, and shall institute and prosecute all necessary suits, actions or proceedings for the enforcement of those laws and ordinances referred to in subsection (1) of this section.

      (4) Any forfeiture or penalty provided for in any law administered by the commission shall be recovered by an action brought thereon in the name of the State of Oregon in any court of appropriate jurisdiction. [Amended by 1971 c.655 §23; 1973 c.776 §24; 1987 c.447 §84; 1995 c.733 §61; 2011 c.506 §46; 2013 c.180 §51]

 

      756.170 [Repealed by 1971 c.655 §250]

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2006–2025 · leading case: Qwest Corp. v. Pub. Util. Comm'n, 135 P.3d 321 (Or. Ct. App. 2006).
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Qwest Corp. v. Pub. Util. Comm'n, 135 P.3d 321 (Or. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 4× “060 to adopt “reasonable and proper rules and regulations relative to all statutes administered by the commission [,]” and the authority under ORS 756.160(1) to “enforce all laws of this state relating to public utilities and telecommunication utilities [,]” it argues that the…”
Nw. Pub. Commc'ns Council ex rel. Oregon v. Qwest Corp., 877 F. Supp. 2d 1004 (D. Or. 2012). · cites it 3× “As Qwest points out, Oregon Revised Statute § 756.160 sets out a scheme for enforcement of statutes and ordinances relating to public and telecommunications utilities (including PUC’s “rules regulations, orders, [and] decisions”) through coordination between PUC and the Oregon…”
United States v. PacifiCorp (D. Or. 2025). · cites it 2× “§ 756.160), not through private litigation.”
Nw. Pub. Commc'ns Council v. Qwest, 527 P.3d 30 (Or. Ct. App. 2022). “, “shall inquire into any * * * violation of any law of this state * * * relating to public utilities and telecommunications util- ities by any public utility or telecommunications utility doing business therein,” and “shall enforce all laws of this state relating to” such…”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 756.160(1) — 3 cases
Nw. Pub. Commc'ns Council ex rel. Oregon v. Qwest Corp., 877 F. Supp. 2d 1004 (D. Or. 2012). “As Qwest points out, Oregon Revised Statute § 756.160 sets out a scheme for enforcement of statutes and ordinances relating to public and telecommunications utilities (including PUC’s “rules regulations, orders, [and] decisions”) through coordination between PUC and the Oregon…”
Qwest Corp. v. Pub. Util. Comm'n, 135 P.3d 321 (Or. Ct. App. 2006). “060 to adopt “reasonable and proper rules and regulations relative to all statutes administered by the commission [,]” and the authority under ORS 756.160(1) to “enforce all laws of this state relating to public utilities and telecommunication utilities [,]” it argues that the…”
Nw. Pub. Commc'ns Council v. Qwest, 527 P.3d 30 (Or. Ct. App. 2022). “, “shall inquire into any * * * violation of any law of this state * * * relating to public utilities and telecommunications util- ities by any public utility or telecommunications utility doing business therein,” and “shall enforce all laws of this state relating to” such…”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 756.160(4) — 1 case
Qwest Corp. v. Pub. Util. Comm'n, 135 P.3d 321 (Or. Ct. App. 2006). “060 to adopt “reasonable and proper rules and regulations relative to all statutes administered by the commission [,]” and the authority under ORS 756.160(1) to “enforce all laws of this state relating to public utilities and telecommunication utilities [,]” it argues that the…”
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