HB504: relative to third party charges on utility bills.

HB 504 - AS INTRODUCED

2017 SESSION

17-0509

06/09

HOUSE BILL 504

AN ACT relative to third party charges on utility bills.

SPONSORS: Rep. Lewicke, Hills. 26; Rep. Carr, Hills. 26; Rep. McConnell, Ches. 12

COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy

ANALYSIS

This bill prohibits a regulated utility from terminating the service of a customer who fails to pay any charge or fee to a third party.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

17-0509

06/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen

AN ACT relative to third party charges on utility bills.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Public Utilities Rates and Charges; Third Party Charges. Amend RSA 378 by inserting after section 44 the following new section:

378:44-a Third Party Charges. Only charges for delivered services and statutory taxes may be included on bills to consumers by regulated utilities. Service shall not be terminated or curtailed for failure by a consumer to pay any charge or fee to a third party. Requests for payment by third parties may be included with utility bills on a separate page either in paper form, electronically, or otherwise, and shall be clearly and prominently labeled as "Third Party Charge, payment is not mandatory, nor is continued service contingent on payment."

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.