Bill Text: MI HB4392 | 2009-2010 | 95th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Public utilities; consumer services; contact to a senior citizen consumer regarding service restoration; require within 3 business days. Amends 1939 PA 3 (MCL 460.1 - 460.11) by adding sec. 9i.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-04-02 - Referred To Committee On Energy Policy And Public Utilities [HB4392 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2009-HB4392-Engrossed.html
HB-4392, As Passed House, March 31, 2009
SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 4392
A bill to amend 1939 PA 3, entitled
"An act to provide for the regulation and control of public and
certain private utilities and other services affected with a public
interest within this state; to provide for alternative energy
suppliers; to provide for licensing; to include municipally owned
utilities and other providers of energy under certain provisions of
this act; to create a public service commission and to prescribe
and define its powers and duties; to abolish the Michigan public
utilities commission and to confer the powers and duties vested by
law on the public service commission; to provide for the
continuance, transfer, and completion of certain matters and
proceedings; to abolish automatic adjustment clauses; to prohibit
certain rate increases without notice and hearing; to qualify
residential energy conservation programs permitted under state law
for certain federal exemption; to create a fund; to provide for a
restructuring of the manner in which energy is provided in this
state; to encourage the utilization of resource recovery
facilities; to prohibit certain acts and practices of providers of
energy; to allow for the securitization of stranded costs; to
reduce rates; to provide for appeals; to provide appropriations; to
declare the effect and purpose of this act; to prescribe remedies
and penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,"
(MCL 460.1 to 460.11) by adding section 9i.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 9i. (1) No later than 3 business days after shutting off
service to a known senior citizen customer, a provider shall
attempt to contact that customer by at least 2 methods described
under subsection (2) and explain to the customer the actions that
customer must take to have his or her service restored.
(2) A provider shall utilize the following notification
methods to meet the requirements of subsection (1):
(a) A personal or automated telephone call where direct
contact is made with a member of the customer's household or a
message is recorded on an answering machine or voice mail.
(b) First-class mail.
(c) A personal visit to the customer.
(d) A written notice left at or on the customer's door.
(e) Any other method approved by the commission.
(3) A communication described in subsection (2)(c) or (d) made
on the day of disconnection meets the requirements of subsection
(1).
(4) A message left on an answering machine or voice mail or a
written notice left at or on a customer's door must include a toll-
free telephone number indicating that it may be used to contact a
representative of the provider regarding restoration of service.
(5) A provider may meet the notice requirement of this section
with regard to a senior citizen customer by, within 3 business days
of shutting off service, making a documented referral of that
customer to a social service or government agency.
(6) As used in this section:
(a) "Provider" means an electric utility, municipally owned
electric or natural gas utility, cooperative electric utility, or
alternative electric supplier, or a natural gas utility as defined
in section 9.
(b) "Senior citizen customer" means a customer of a provider
who is 65 years of age or older.
