Bill Text: CT HB05353 | 2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: An Act Concerning Propane Fuel Deliveries In Cases Of Emergency.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-02 - Public Hearing 03/06 [HB05353 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2018-HB05353-Introduced.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 5353
February Session, 2018		LCO No. 1859
		*01859_______ET_*
Referred to Committee on ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY
Introduced by:
(ET)

AN ACT CONCERNING PROPANE FUEL DELIVERIES IN CASES OF EMERGENCY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 16a-21 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):

(a) (1) No heating fuel dealer shall sell heating fuel or rent or lease a heating fuel tank without a written contract that contains all the terms and conditions for delivery of such heating fuel and the amount of fees, charges, surcharges or penalties allowed under this section and assessed to the consumer under such contract. No such contract shall contain any fees, charges, surcharges or penalties, except for those allowed pursuant to subsections (e), (f) and (g) of this section and for tank rental fees or liquidated damages for violation of the contract terms. No contract for the delivery of heating fuel under this subsection shall include a provision for liquidated damages for a consumer breach of such contract where the liquidated damages exceed the actual damages to the heating fuel dealer caused by such breach. No written contract period for heating fuel shall be for a term greater than thirty-six months. Each heating fuel dealer shall offer consumers the option to enter into a bona fide commercially reasonable contract for a term of eighteen months. A consumer and a heating fuel dealer may agree to enter into a bona fide commercially reasonable contract for a term of less than eighteen months. Longer fuel contract term lengths may be permitted for underground tank consumers, provided the fuel term agreements are concurrent with tank lease agreements as specified in subdivision (2) of this subsection. No provision in a contract that restricts a consumer's ability to utilize another propane fuel provider shall be valid or enforceable unless the consumer has initialed a clear and conspicuous statement in all capital letters of no less than twelve-point boldface type indicating that the consumer is aware of such restriction, provided any such provision shall not be valid or enforceable during an emergency as declared pursuant to 49 CFR 390.23, as amended from time to time.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	October 1, 2018	16a-21(a)(1)

Statement of Purpose:

To permit propane customers to purchase from a supplier other than the one with whom they have a contract in cases of emergency.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]