2024 -- S 3066 | |
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LC006047 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION | |
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Introduced By: Senators Euer, Sosnowski, and DiMario | |
Date Introduced: May 09, 2024 | |
Referred To: Senate Commerce | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Chapter 39-1 of the General Laws entitled "Public Utilities Commission" is |
2 | hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
3 | 39-1-63. Gas and electric utility customer bills. |
4 | (a) Each electric distribution company as defined by § 39-1-2(a) and each gas distribution |
5 | company included as a public utility as defined in § 39-1-2(a) shall provide a copy of the form, |
6 | content, and design of proposed bills to be sent to customers. |
7 | (b) The commission shall have the authority at any time to review the form, content, and |
8 | design of electric and/or gas bills used by any gas or electric utility for billing customers and require |
9 | any modifications that the commission finds: |
10 | (1) Are in the public interest; or |
11 | (2) Would in the commission’s discretion be beneficial for the advancement of any |
12 | significant energy or environmental policy initiatives in law or regulatory policy determined by the |
13 | commission. |
14 | (c) If any modification(s) ordered by the commission pursuant to the provisions of |
15 | subsection (b) of this section should require significant billing system changes, the commission |
16 | shall provide a reasonable amount of time for the gas or electric utility to make the required |
17 | modifications. |
18 | (d) To the extent that a gas or electric utility makes material changes to the form, content, |
19 | or design of the bills sent to customers, the gas or electric utility shall file a copy of the new bill |
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1 | with the commission with a complete explanation of the changes. The filing is not required to be |
2 | made prior to implementation, but shall be made no later than sixty (60) days after any material |
3 | change has been put into effect for billing. The commission shall open a docket to receive public |
4 | comment and, if necessary, hold hearings to review the change. |
5 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION | |
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1 | This act would require that electric and gas companies provide a copy of the form, content |
2 | and design of their bills to the public utility commission (PUC). The act would also authorize the |
3 | public utilities commission to review the form, content, and design of electric and gas bills and |
4 | require any modifications that the commission finds (1) would be in the public interest, or (2) would |
5 | be beneficial to any significant energy or environmental policy initiative. |
6 | This act would change the utility company billing practices so that when a gas or electric |
7 | utility makes a material change to their customer billing, they would be required to file a copy of |
8 | the new bill with the PUC, with a complete explanation of the changes, within sixty (60) days after |
9 | implementation. The PUC would also open a docket to receive public comment and, if necessary, |
10 | hold hearings to review the changes. |
11 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC006047 | |
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