SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1043        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1670

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Barry R. Finegold

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to utility service call centers..

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Barry R. Finegold

 

Kevin J. Murphy

18th Middlesex

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

Kenneth J. Donnelly

 

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

James E. Timilty

 

Thomas M. McGee

Third Essex

John F. Keenan

 

John Hart, Jr.

 

Eileen M. Donoghue

 

David M. Nangle

17th Middlesex

Lori A. Ehrlich

8th Essex

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

16th Middlesex

Walter F. Timilty

7th Norfolk


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1043        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1670

By Mr. Finegold, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1670) of Barry R. Finegold, Kevin J. Murphy, Sal N. DiDomenico, Kenneth J. Donnelly and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to utility service call centers.  Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1516 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act relative to utility service call centers..

 

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 164 of the General Laws, as appearing the in the 2008 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after Section 1J the following new section:-

SECTION 1K. Every distribution company, gas company, and municipal lighting plant shall, using services located within the commonwealth and in their service area, provide call center service assistance for the following services:

(1) Determining customer financial responsibility;

(2) Taking requests for new or additional services, requests for repair and dispatching of troubles, including, but not limited to, emergency service;

(3) Determining deposit required, billing rate, or any other billing related matter;

(4) Preparing meter and service orders and obtaining access to meters;

(5) Explaining company rates, regulations, policies, procedures, equipment, and common practices;

(6) Investigating trouble order forms and initiating high bill investigations;

(7) Handling payment and other credit arrangements such as obtaining deposits, financial statements, and payment plans;

(8) Referring customers to social service agencies and other assistance programs;

SECTION 2. Chapter 159 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after Section 17 the following new section:-

SECTION 17A. Every telecommunications company, and municipal lighting plant providing telecommunications service shall, using services located within the commonwealth and their in service area, provide call center service assistance for the following services:

(1) Determining customer financial responsibility;

(2) Taking requests for new or additional services, requests for repair and dispatching of troubles, including, but not limited to, emergency service;

(3) Determining deposit required, billing rate, or any other billing related matter;

(4) Preparing meter and service orders and obtaining access to meters;

(5) Explaining company rates, regulations, policies, procedures, equipment, and common practices;

(6) Investigating trouble order forms and initiating high bill investigations;

(7) Handling payment and other credit arrangements such as obtaining deposits, financial statements, and payment plans;

(8) Referring customers to social service agencies and other assistance programs.