UTILITY SHUTOFF: SENIOR CITIZENS S.B. 331:
COMMITTEE SUMMARY
[Please see the PDF version of this analysis, if available, to view this image.]
Senate Bill 331 (as introduced 3-4-09)
Sponsor: Senator Bruce Patterson
Committee: Energy Policy and Public Utilities
Date Completed: 3-11-09
CONTENT
The bill would amend Public Act 3 of 1939, the Public Service Commission (PSC) law, to require an employee of an electric or natural gas provider to contact a senior citizen customer (i.e., a customer who is at least 65 years old) after shutting off service to him or her and explain the actions that he or she would have to take to have service restored. The employee would have to contact the customer by telephone or in person within three days after the provider shut off service and identify himself or herself to the customer.
"Provider" would mean an electric utility, municipally owned natural gas or electric utility, cooperative electric utility, alternative electric supplier, or an investor-owned business engaged in the sale and distribution of natural gas in Michigan whose rates are regulated by the PSC.
Proposed MCL 460.9i Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would increase the administrative costs of municipally owned utilities by an unknown amount due to the proposed requirement to contact senior citizens after a utility service shutoff regarding how to have service restored.
Fiscal Analyst: Elizabeth Pratt
Maria Tyszkiewicz
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb331/0910