Bill > S1457

Introduced Session

This bill permits certain local units and authorities to reduce water, sewerage, and stormwater fees, and other charges for low-income persons. Current law allows certain of these local units and authorities to reduce or totally abate service rates for persons who are 65 years of age or older or are disabled and also meet certain income requirements. This bill expands upon current law by allowing local units and authorities to establish reduced general water and sewerage service rates for all low-income persons based on eligibility requirements set by the local unit or authority. Specifically, under the bill, a local unit or authority that operates a water, sewerage, or stormwater management system will be permitted to reduce the fees or other charges it collects from a person residing in its district or service area, provided that: (1) the person is the owner or tenant of a dwelling unit in the district or service area and the person resides in the dwelling unit; (2) the dwelling unit is a single-family dwelling or a dwelling unit in a two-family dwelling; and (3) the household income for the person who resides in the dwelling unit is at or below a percentage of the most recent federal poverty guidelines, which percentage will be established by the local unit or authority. A local unit or authority that establishes a reduction under the bill will be required to adopt procedures for establishing eligibility and obtaining a reduction, and advertise the availability of the reduction in the bills submitted to residents in the district or service area, or in special periodical mailings to residents in the district or service area. Further, the bill authorizes a regional sewerage authority to increase charges in excess of the two percent statutory cap, subject to Local Finance Board approval, in order to allow for reasonable increases in fees and other charges that are necessary to compensate for reductions provided for low-income persons under the bill.

Committee Categories

Brian Stack (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (on 02/13/2020)

Official Document