2012 -- H 7232

=======

LC00858

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

____________

A N A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND

CARRIERS

     

     

     Introduced By: Representative Scott Slater

     Date Introduced: January 25, 2012

     Referred To: House Corporations

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1-1

     SECTION 1. Section 39-2-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-2 entitled "Duties of

1-2

Utilities and Carriers" is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-3

     39-2-1. Reasonable and adequate services -- Reasonable and just charges. -- (a)

1-4

Every public utility is required to furnish safe, reasonable, and adequate services and facilities.

1-5

The rate, toll, or charge, or any joint rate made, exacted, demanded, or collected by any public

1-6

utility for the conveyance or transportation of any persons or property, including sewage, between

1-7

points within the state, or for any heat, light, water, or power produced, transmitted, distributed,

1-8

delivered, or furnished, or for any telephone or telegraph message conveyed or for any service

1-9

rendered or to be rendered in connection therewith, shall be reasonable and just, and every unjust

1-10

or unreasonable charge for the service is prohibited and declared unlawful, and no public utility

1-11

providing heat, light, water, or power produced, transmitted, distributed, delivered, or furnished

1-12

shall terminate the service or deprive any home or building, or whatsoever, of service if the

1-13

reason therefor is nonpayment of the service without first notifying the user of the service, or the

1-14

owner or owners of the building as recorded with the utility of the impending service termination

1-15

by written notice at least ten (10) days prior to the effective date of the proposed termination of

1-16

service.

1-17

      (1) Effective immediately, following the issuance of a decision by the commission under

1-18

39-1-27.2(d), the utility shall collect a LIHEAP Enhancement Chargefunds from all utility

1-19

customers, for the funding of the LIHEAP Enhancement Fund.

2-1

      (b) Any existing rules and regulations dealing with the termination of utility service and

2-2

establishing reasonable methods of debt collection promulgated by the commission pursuant to

2-3

this chapter and the provisions of section 39-1.1-3, including but not limited to, any rules and

2-4

regulations dealing with deposit and deferred payment arrangements, winter moratorium and

2-5

medical emergency protections, and customer dispute resolution procedures, shall be applicable

2-6

to any public utility which distributes electricity.

2-7

      (c) The commission shall promulgate such further rules and regulations as are necessary

2-8

to protect consumers following the introduction of competition in the electric industry and which

2-9

are consistent with this chapter and the provisions of section 39-1.1-3. In promulgating such rules

2-10

and regulations, the commission shall confer with the Retail Electric Licensing Commission and

2-11

shall give reasonable consideration to any and all recommendations of the Retail Electric

2-12

Licensing Commission.

2-13

      (d) On or before May 1, 2007, the commission shall administer such rules and

2-14

regulations as may be necessary to implement the purpose of subdivision (1) of this section and to

2-15

provide for restoration of electric and/or gas service to very low income households as defined by

2-16

section 42-141-2. On or before August 15, 2011, the commission shall administer such rules and

2-17

regulations, as may be necessary, to implement the purpose of subdivision (2) of this section and

2-18

to provide for the restoration of electric and/or gas service to LIHEAP-eligible households,

2-19

defined as those with a combined gross income equal to or less than sixty percent (60%) of the

2-20

state median household income as calculated by the U.S. Bureau of Census and as adjusted for

2-21

family or group size by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulation 45 CFR

2-22

Sec. 96.85 or its successor regulation.

2-23

      (1) Effective July 1, 2007 until October 14, 2011, notwithstanding the provisions of part

2-24

V sections 4(E)(1)(B) and (C) of the public utilities commission rules and regulations governing

2-25

the termination of residential electric, gas, and water utility service, a very low income customer

2-26

who is terminated from gas and/or electric service or is recognized pursuant to a rule or decision

2-27

by the division as being scheduled for actual shut-off of service on a date specified, shall be

2-28

eligible one time to have electric and/or gas utility service restored providing the following

2-29

conditions are met:

2-30

      (i) The customer pays twenty-five percent (25%) of the customer's unpaid balance;

2-31

      (ii) The customer agrees to pay one thirty-sixth (1/36) of one half (1/2) of the customer's

2-32

remaining balance per month for thirty-six (36) months;

2-33

      (iii) The customer agrees to remain current with payments for current usage. For

2-34

purposes of this subsection remaining current with payments shall mean that the customer: (a)

3-1

misses no more than a total of three (3) payments in the thirty-six (36) month period covered by

3-2

the agreement; (b) misses more than two (2) payments in any one calendar year, provided that

3-3

such missed payments in a calendar year are not consecutive and that payments for the year are

3-4

up-to-date by October 31st; and (c) that the amount due under that agreement is paid in full by the

3-5

conclusion of the period of the agreement;

3-6

      (iv) The customer has shown, to the satisfaction of the division, that the customer is

3-7

reasonably capable of meeting the payment schedule provided for by the provisions of

3-8

subdivision 39-2-1(d)(1)(i) and (ii) in this section. The restoration of service provided for by this

3-9

subsection shall be a one-time right; failure to comply with the payment provisions set forth in

3-10

this subsection shall be grounds for the customer to be dropped from the repayment program

3-11

established by this subsection, and the balance due on the unpaid balance shall be due in full and

3-12

shall be payable in accordance with the rules of the commission governing the termination of

3-13

residential electric, gas, and water utility service. A customer who completes the schedule of

3-14

payments pursuant to this subsection, shall have the balance of any arrearage forgiven, and the

3-15

customer's obligation to the gas and/or electric company for such balance shall be deemed to be

3-16

fully satisfied. The amount of the arrearage so forgiven shall be treated as bad debt for purposes

3-17

of cost recovery by the gas or the electric company.

3-18

      (2) Effective October 15, 2011, notwithstanding the provisions of part V sections

3-19

4(E)(1)(B) and (C) of the public utilities commission rules and regulations governing the

3-20

termination of residential electric, gas, and water utility service, a LIHEAP-eligible customer, as

3-21

defined above in this section, who has been terminated from gas and/or electric service or is

3-22

recognized, pursuant to a rule or decision by the division, as being scheduled for actual shut-off

3-23

of service on a specific date, shall not be deprived electric and/or gas utility service provided the

3-24

following conditions are met:

3-25

      (i) The customer makes an initial payment of ten percent (10%) of the customer's unpaid

3-26

balance; and

3-27

      (ii) The customer agrees to pay an amount equal to one-thirty sixth (1/36) of forty

3-28

percent (40%) of the customer's unpaid balance, per month for thirty-six (36) months; and

3-29

      (iii) The customer agrees to remain current with payments for current usage. For

3-30

purposes of this subsection, remaining current with payments, shall mean that the customer: (A)

3-31

Misses no more than a total of three (3) payments in the thirty-six (36) month period covered by

3-32

the agreement; (B) Misses more than two (2) payments in any one calendar year, provided that

3-33

such missed payments in a calendar year are not consecutive and that payments for the year are

3-34

up-to date by October 31st; and (C) That the amount due under that agreement is paid in full, by

4-1

the conclusion of the period of the agreement; and

4-2

      (iv) The customer has shown, to the satisfaction of the division, that the customer is

4-3

reasonably capable of meeting the payment schedule, provided for by the provisions of

4-4

subdivision 39-2-1(d)(1)(i) and (ii) in this section. The restoration of service, provided for by this

4-5

subsection, shall be a one-time right; failure to comply with the payment provisions set forth in

4-6

this subsection shall be grounds for the customer to be removed from the repayment program

4-7

established by this subsection and the balance due on the unpaid balance, shall be due and

4-8

payable in full, in accordance with the rules of the commission governing the termination of

4-9

residential electric, gas, and water utility service. A customer, who completes the schedule of

4-10

payments, pursuant to this subsection, shall have the balance of any arrearage forgiven, and the

4-11

customer's obligation to the gas and/or electric company for such unpaid balance shall be deemed

4-12

to be fully satisfied. The amount of the anticipated arrearage, so forgiven, and other costs of

4-13

administering this program shall be treated as bad debt for purposes of cost recovery by the gas or

4-14

the electric company fully recovered by the gas or electric distribution company for each year

4-15

from all gas and electric customers through a fully reconciling funding mechanism to be

4-16

submitted annually, no later than April 1st of each year, to the public utilities commission for

4-17

review and approval.

4-18

      (3) A customer terminated from service under the provisions of subdivision 39-2-1(d)(1)

4-19

or subdivision 39-2-1(d)(2) shall be eligible for restoration of service in accordance with the

4-20

applicable provisions of part V section 4(E)(1)(C), or its successor provision, of the public

4-21

utilities commission rules and regulations governing the termination of residential electric, gas,

4-22

and water service.

4-23

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

     

=======

LC00858

========

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND

CARRIERS

***

5-1

     This act would allow any anticipated arrearage and costs of administering the repayment

5-2

program to be recovered from all gas and electric customers through a funding mechanism which

5-3

would be submitted annually by April 1st of each year to the Public Utilities Commission for

5-4

review and approval.

5-5

     This act would take effect upon passage.

     

=======

LC00858

=======

H7232