HB 664

Abstract

Public utilities; delay of termination of service; serious medical condition; report. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish by regulation exemptions to termination of service by a public utility that provides electric, gas, water, and wastewater services for certain customers. The bill requires such regulations to require a public utility to delay termination of service for any residential customer (i) who has not filed a serious medical condition form with the public utility for 15 calendar days, upon oral or written notification from the residential customer that such customer or a family member residing with the customer has a serious medical condition; for such customers, the utility shall delay disconnection for at least 60 calendar days upon receiving a serious medical condition form during the 15-day period; (ii) who has filed a serious medical condition form with the public utility; for at least 60 days beyond the expiration of any required notice; (iii) who is experiencing financial hardship and whose serious medical condition will last beyond the 60-calendar-delay period described in clause (ii); for such customers, the utility shall work to establish a payment plan and make all due effort to avoid service termination; or (iv) who certifies to the utility that the customer's household includes primary residents who are not younger than 65 years of age, not older than 12 months of age, or have a disability; for a minimum of 60 calendar days beyond the expiration of any required notice. The bill requires such regulations to permit a residential customer to delay termination of service up to three times within a 12-month period. Each public utility subject to the bill shall report monthly by the fifteenth day of each month information related to serious medical condition forms, exemptions from disconnections granted under the provisions of the bill, and payment plans with customers.