Section 4929.21. Consent to jurisdiction - appointment of statutory agent

(A)

(1) Beginning on the effective date of initial rules adopted pursuant to division (A) of section 4929.20 of the Revised Code, no person shall operate in this state as a retail natural gas supplier, unless that person first does both of the following:

(a) Consents irrevocably to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state and service of process in this state, including, without limitation, service of summonses and subpoenas, for any civil or criminal proceeding arising out of or relating to such operation, by providing that irrevocable consent in accordance with division (A)(4) of this section;

(b) Designates an agent authorized to receive that service of process in this state, by filing with the public utilities commission a document designating that agent.

(2) Beginning on the effective date of initial rules adopted pursuant to division (A) of section 4929.20 of the Revised Code, no person shall continue to operate as such retail natural gas supplier unless that person continues to consent to such jurisdiction and service of process in this state and continues to designate an agent as provided under this division, by refiling in accordance with division (A)(4) of this section the appropriate documents filed under division (A)(1) of this section or, as applicable, the appropriate amended documents filed under division (A)(3) of this section. Such refiling shall occur during the month of December of every fourth year after the initial filing of a document under division (A)(1) of this section.

(3) If the address of the person filing a document under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section changes, or if a person's agent or the address of the agent changes, from that listed on the most recently filed of such documents, the person shall file an amended document containing the new information.

(4) The consent and designation required by divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of this section shall be in writing, on forms prescribed by the commission. The original of each such document or amended document shall be legible and shall be filed with the commission, with a copy filed with the office of the consumers' counsel and with the attorney general's office.

(B) A person who enters this state pursuant to a summons, subpoena, or other form of process authorized by this section is not subject to arrest or service of process, whether civil or criminal, in connection with other matters that arose before the person's entrance into this state pursuant to such summons, subpoena, or other form of process.

(C) Divisions (A) and (B) of this section do not apply to any of the following:

(1) A corporation incorporated under the laws of this state that has appointed a statutory agent pursuant to section 1701.07 or 1702.06 of the Revised Code;

(2) A foreign corporation licensed to transact business in this state that has appointed a designated agent pursuant to section 1703.041 of the Revised Code;

(3) Any other person that is a resident of this state or that files consent to service of process and designates a statutory agent pursuant to other laws of this state.

Effective Date: 06-26-2001