SB 254

Bill Subjects

Utilities Utility Regulatory Commission Water Generally Welfare Generally

Abstract

Amends the statute that authorizes a water or wastewater utility to establish a customer assistance program for qualified residential customers, to provide the same authority to energy utilities. Beginning in 2024, requires a utility that: (1) is under the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) for the approval of rates and charges; and (2) provides residential electric, natural gas, water, or wastewater utility service at retail to customers and low income customers in Indiana; to report to the IURC on a quarterly basis certain data concerning customer accounts and low income customer accounts. Provides that: (1) a utility shall report all required information in the aggregate and in a manner that does not identify individual customers and low income customers; and (2) the IURC may not require utilities to disclose confidential and proprietary business information without adequate protection of the information. Requires the IURC to adopt rules to implement these provisions. Provides that, beginning in 2025, the IURC shall annually compile and summarize the information received from utilities for the previous calendar year and include the summary in the IURC's annual report. Requires a utility to make available, not later than November 1, 2023, to the utility's residential customers the opportunity to enter into the following: (1) A budget billing arrangement. (2) A payment plan that includes certain specified customer protections. Prohibits a utility from engaging in certain practices with respect to: (1) billing practices; and (2) service disconnections and reconnections; for residential customers after June 30, 2023. Makes conforming amendments to the statute concerning the termination of residential electric or natural gas service. Requires the IURC to amend, not later than July 1, 2023, its administrative rules as necessary to conform the rules to these provisions. Requires a utility to: (1) amend its residential tariffs as necessary to conform the tariffs to these provisions; and (2) file with the IURC a petition for approval of each amended tariff; not later than 30 days after the effective date of these provisions.