HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1587        FILED ON: 2/10/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3308

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jessica Ann Giannino

_________________

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 requiring gas or electric companies to notify residential customers prior to discontinuing gas or electric service.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1587        FILED ON: 2/10/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3308

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2929 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

An Act requiring gas or electric companies to notify residential customers prior to discontinuing gas or electric service.

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

Chapter 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 124I the following section:

Section 124J.   A gas or electric company shall notify any residential customer of scheduled discontinuance of service prior to said discontinuance, using the following methods:

1.By certified mail 10 days prior to service disconnection to the mailing address of the residential customer, the mailing shall consist of a return letter and a postage paid envelope to be signed by said customer as evidence that said customer is aware that service is to be discontinued at that address at a date and time certain;

2.If the procedures in paragraph 1are unsuccessful, by e-mail no later than 48 hours prior to discontinuance of service, to the contact  e-mail address of the residential customer; provided that said e-mail shall contain a request for a reply e-mail by said customer stating that said customer is aware that service is to be discontinued at that address at a date and time certain; or

3.If the procedures in paragraphs 1 and 2 are unsuccessful, then no later than 24 hours prior to discontinuance of service, by a telephone call by the gas or electric company to the contact telephone number of the residential customer where service is scheduled to be disconnected, providing notification of termination to said customer; provided that an audio record of the telephone conversation be preserved by the gas or electric company as evidence that said customer was notified that service is to be discontinued at that address at a date and time certain;

4.If the procedures in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 are unsuccessful, prior to any attempt to discontinue service, an employee or agent of the gas or electric company shall make a personal visit to the residence of the residential customer to make every attempt possible to notify said customer in person.  If said customer is in attendance where gas or electric service is to be disconnected, the employee or agent shall obtain the signature of said customer on a form providing written evidence of notification that service is to be discontinued at that address at a date and time certain.

Successful residential customer notification by using any of the above methods shall serve as evidence that the residential customer has been duly notified of said discontinuance of service.  If none of the above attempts are successful, the gas or electric company shall, prior to discontinuing service, notify in writing the police department of the city or town where the service is to be discontinued.  Said written notice shall contain the name, address and telephone number of the residential customer at the residence where service is to be discontinued.

A gas or electric company shall, after a hearing by the department, be assessed a penalty of $500.00 for each violation of the provisions of this section.  Said assessment to be paid by the gas or electric company to the city or town of the residence where service was to be disconnected.