SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1372        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1490

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act Amending Utility Rate Hearings..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 25, Section 4A of the General Laws is amended by striking out the following: 

“Upon request of the mayor of a city or the selectman of town, or of a member of the general court or of twenty customers of the company affected, a public hearing ordered by the department, to be held in connection with any change in rates or reduction in or discontinuance of service, shall be held in the city or town or area wherein the company affected does business or in which any decision of the commission would apply”

and inserting the following: 

“A public hearing shall be held in connection with any change in rates or reduction in or discontinuance of service.  Said hearing shall be held in the service area affected by said change.”