20-1-102. PURPOSE.

The Council hereby declares it to be in the public interest that all utilities located, operating or providing services within the Reservation be regulated as hereinafter provided in order to provide all retail consumers of utility services and commodities within the Reservation with adequate and reliable services at reasonable rates, consistent with the financial and economic requirements of such utilities and their need to construct facilities to provide such services and commodities or otherwise to obtain utility supplies, to avoid unnecessary duplication of facilities which increase the costs of service to the consumer and to minimize disputes between utilities which may result in inconvenience or diminished efficiency in service to such consumers. The purpose of this legislation shall also be to regulate all utility policies located, operating or providing services within the Reservation with respect to matters other than rates, including connection of service, disconnection of service, re-connection, deposit and overdue payment charges and to prohibit discriminatory or unreasonable preferences or advantages to any consumer or group of consumers by providers of utility services. The regulation of utilities within the Reservation by the Tribe pursuant to this Title shall be deemed exclusive and shall preempt all other regulatory authority with respect to all utilities located, operating or providing services within the Reservation.