Bill Text: PA SB576 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Further providing for cash deposits and household information requirements.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-18 - Referred to CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE [SB576 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-SB576-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 585
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 576 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY FERLO, FONTANA, STACK, KASUNIC, M. WHITE, BREWSTER AND WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 18, 2011
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, FEBRUARY 18, 2011
AN ACT
Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, further providing for cash deposits
and household information requirements.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1404(a) of Title 66 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
§ 1404. Cash deposits and household information requirements.
(a) General rule.--In addition to the right to collect a
deposit under any commission regulation or order, the commission
shall not prohibit a public utility, prior to or as a condition
of providing utility service, from requiring a cash deposit in
an amount that is equal to [one-sixth] one-twelfth of the
applicant's estimated annual bill, except for a city natural gas
distribution operation which may require a cash deposit in an
amount that is equal to one-sixth of the applicant's estimated
annual bill, at the time the public utility determines a deposit
is required, from the following:
(1) An applicant who previously received utility
distribution services and was a customer of the public
utility and whose service was terminated for any of the
following reasons:
(i) Nonpayment of an undisputed delinquent account.
(ii) Failure to complete payment of a deposit,
provide a guarantee or establish credit.
(iii) Failure to permit access to meters, service
connections or other property of the public utility for
the purpose of replacement, maintenance, repair or meter
reading.
(iv) Unauthorized use of the utility service
delivered on or about the affected dwelling.
(v) Failure to comply with the material terms of a
settlement or payment agreement.
(vi) Fraud or material misrepresentation of identity
for the purpose of obtaining utility service.
(vii) Tampering with meters, including, but not
limited to, bypassing a meter or removal of an automatic
meter reading device or other public utility equipment.
(viii) Violating tariff provisions on file with the
commission so as to endanger the safety of a person or
the integrity of the delivery system of the public
utility.
(2) Any applicant or customer who is unable to establish
creditworthiness to the satisfaction of the public utility
through the use of a generally accepted credit scoring
methodology which employs standards for using the methodology
that fall within the range of general industry practice.
(3) A customer who fails to comply with a material term
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or condition of a settlement or payment agreement.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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