367.150 Functions, powers and duties of Department of Law

367.150 Functions, powers and duties of Department of Law.

The Department of Law shall have the following functions, powers and duties:

(1) To promote the coordination of consumer protection activities of all departments,

divisions and branches of state, county and city government, concerned with

activities involving consumer interests;

(2) To assist, advise and cooperate with federal, state and local agencies and officials to

protect and promote the interests of the consumer public; to advise the Governor

and the legislature in all matters concerning consumer affairs;

(3) To conduct investigations, research, studies and analysis of matters affecting health,

safety, the human environment, the marketplace and all other consumer affairs, and

take appropriate action; to communicate the view of the consumer to state, county,

and city agencies and officials;

(4) To study the operation of all laws, rules, regulations, orders, and state policies

affecting consumers and to recommend to the Governor and to the Legislature, new

legislation, rules, regulations, orders, and policies in the consumers' interest;

(5) To organize and hold conferences on problems affecting consumers; to undertake

activities to encourage business, industry, the professions, and others offering goods

or services to maintain high standards of honesty, fair business practices, and public

responsibility in the production, promotion and sale of consumer goods and

services;

(6) To provide a central clearing house of information for all citizens of the

Commonwealth by collecting and compiling consumer complaints and inquiries,

and forwarding them to the proper governmental agencies if appropriate; it shall be

the further responsibility of the department to maintain records indicating the final

disposition by the agency of any matter so referred;

(7) To organize, promote and conduct consumer education programs within the

Commonwealth; to cooperate with and establish necessary liaison with consumer

organizations;

(8) (a) To appear before any federal, state or local governmental branch, commission,

department, rate-making or regulatory body or agency, to represent and be

heard on behalf of consumers' interests; and

(b) To be made a real party in interest to any action on behalf of consumer

interests involving a quasijudicial or rate-making proceeding of any state or

local governmental branch, commission, department, agency, or rate-making

body whenever deemed necessary and advisable in the consumers' interest by

the Attorney General.

(9) To perform such other acts as may be incidental to the exercise of the functions,

powers and duties set forth in KRS 367.120 to 367.300.