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2023 SESSION

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SB 1447 Disconnections of utility service; SCC to establish limitations, etc.

Introduced by: John S. Edwards | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

State Corporation Commission; limitations on disconnection of utility service by certain utilities. Directs the State Corporation Commission to conduct a proceeding for the purpose of establishing regulatory limitations on the authority of an investor-owned electric utility, natural gas utility, water utility, wastewater utility, or electric cooperative subject to regulation by the Commission to disconnect service to any customer for the nonpayment of bills or fees during a statewide emergency declared by the Governor in response to a widespread communicable disease of public health threat, during temperature weather extremes, or on a Friday, weekend, state holiday, or day immediately preceding a state holiday. The bill requires the Commission to ensure that such regulations are effective by November 1, 2023. The bill encourages certain utilities not subject to regulation by the Commission to adopt an internal operating policy to suspend service disconnections for nonpayment of bills or fees for 30 days in the case of a statewide emergency declared by the Governor in response to a widespread communicable disease of public health threat and to avoid disconnecting service to residential customers for nonpayment of bills or fees on a Friday, weekend, state holiday, or day immediately preceding a state holiday or during temperature weather extremes.

 

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Disconnection suspensions for certain utilities; residential customers; report. Suspends electric, gas, water, or wastewater utilities from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees during a state of emergency declared by the Governor, and such suspension lasts for 30 days after such declaration of the state of emergency. The bill suspends electric and gas utilities from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees when the forecasted temperature low is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and suspends electric utilities from disconnecting any such customer from service when the forecasted temperature high is at or above 95 degrees Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled disconnection. The bill also specifies that disconnections and reconnections based on a residential customer's nonpayment of bills or fees shall not involve additional fees during weather extremes. The bill further suspends electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities from disconnecting residential customers from service on Fridays, weekends, state holidays, and the day immediately preceding a state holiday. Under the bill, certain utilities are required to report annually on residential utility disconnections beginning December 1, 2024. The bill requires the Broadband Advisory Council to convene a working group to study the feasibility and appropriateness of requiring broadband service providers to comply with the provisions of the bill. The State Corporation Commission is permitted to extend or modify the limitations created by the bill as necessary or in the public interest.