3.2-114 - Powers and duties of Office.
§ 3.2-114. Powers and duties of Office.
A. The Office shall have only such powers as may be necessary to perform thefollowing duties:
1. Promote consumer education in cooperation with the Department of Educationand inform the public of policies, decisions and legislation affectingconsumers;
2. Serve as a central coordinating agency and clearinghouse for receiving andinvestigating complaints by the Commonwealth's consumers of illegal,fraudulent, deceptive or dangerous practices and referring appropriatecomplaints to the federal, state and local departments or agencies chargedwith enforcement of consumer laws;
3. Maintain records of consumer complaints and their eventual disposition,which records shall be open for public inspection, provided that informationdisclosing the business interests of any person, trade secrets, or the namesof customers shall be held confidential except to the extent that disclosureof such matters may be necessary for the enforcement of laws;
4. Enter into agreements or accept commissions from federal agencies; and
5. Exercise such powers and perform such duties as requested by theCommissioner under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (§ 59.1-196 et seq.).
B. If the department or agency to which a complaint is referred pursuant tosubdivision A 2 determines that the matter cannot be settled at anadministrative level, the complaint together with all supporting evidence maybe transmitted to the appropriate enforcement officer for such legal actionas may be necessary.
C. The responsibility of the Office in these matters shall not be limited tothose areas of peculiar interest to the Department, but shall embrace theconsumer programs and responsibilities of all the departments and agencies ofthe Commonwealth.
(1970, c. 777, § 3.1-18.2; 1978, c. 219; 1986, c. 30; 1995, c. 703; 2008, c.860.)