SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2942        FILED ON: 5/13/2020

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Michael O. Moore

_________________

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 prohibiting water, fire and other districts from shutting off water supplied to customers during the COVID-19 emergency.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

 

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

 

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

5/29/2020


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2942        FILED ON: 5/13/2020

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

By Mr. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Michael O. Moore and David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf for legislation to prohibit water, fire and other districts from shutting off water supplied to customers during the COVID-19 emergency.  Municipalities and Regional Government.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act prohibiting water, fire and other districts from shutting off water supplied to customers during the COVID-19 emergency.

 

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to protect consumer access to water during the COVID-19 emergency, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public safety and health.
 

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

Chapter 53 of the Acts of 2020 is hereby amended by inserting after section 11 the following new section:-

Section 11A. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, as a result of the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, or the governor's March 10,2020 declaration of a state of emergency, a water or fire district or other entity supplying water service shall not: (i) shut off water service to a customer for failure to pay a bill or any portion of a bill the district issued to a customer and (ii) send communications that threaten the termination of water service to any customer for failure to pay a bill or any portion of a bill the district issued to a customer. The provisions of this section shall 90 days after the state of emergency in the commonwealth related to COVID-19 is lifted.