Bill > S2325

Introduced Session

This bill prohibits an electric, gas, or water public utility (utility) from discontinuing service to a residential customer for utility bill nonpayment during an epidemic, such as during the outbreak of Coronavirus 2019, except when the utility experiences a utility emergency. A utility is to resume service, as soon as practicable, during an epidemic, to any residential customer whose service was discontinued prior to the existence of an epidemic and who is located at the same residence where the service was discontinued prior to the epidemic. This prohibition is no longer to apply once the Governor rescinds a public health emergency and a state of emergency because the epidemic no longer exists. The bill provides that a residential customer who does not pay in full a utility bill on or before the date the bill is due during an epidemic is liable for any bill payment balance for service rendered by the public utility once the Governor determines that the epidemic no longer exists. The bill defines the terms "epidemic," "residential customer," and "utility emergency."

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Vin Gopal (D)*,  Troy Singleton (D)*,  Nellie Pou (D),  Shirley Turner (D), 

Senate Economic Growth Hearing (19:00 11/16/2020 Due to the public health emergency, the State House Annex remain) (on 11/16/2020)

Official Document