Bill Text: MS SB2889 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Delinquent utility bills; revise collection procedures for certain.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2010-02-02 - Died In Committee [SB2889 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2010-SB2889-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: County Affairs; Municipalities
By: Senator(s) Stone
Senate Bill 2889
AN ACT TO CREATE A NEW PROCEDURE TO ASSIST IN THE COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT MUNICIPAL, COUNTY, DISTRICT UTILITY AND RURAL WATER AND OTHER UTILITY BILLS TO INCLUDE WATER AUTHORITIES, WATER ASSOCIATIONS, AND RURAL ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATIONS; TO REPEAL SECTION 17-25-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, AS BEING DUPLICATIVE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) For purposes of this section:
(a) "Water sewer association" means any corporation, whether for profit or not for profit, that provides, distributes, transmits, treats, pumps, or stores raw or potable water to, or for the benefit of, members of the general public or commercial, industrial and other users.
(b) "Provider" means any entity that provides, distributes, transmits, treats, pumps or stores raw or potable water to or for the benefit of members of the general public and commercial, industrial, and other users, or provides any sewerage treatment or transport, natural gas service, electric service, cable service, and other related services, including, without limitation, the following entities that perform such activities or provide such services:
(i) Municipalities;
(ii) Counties;
(iii) Water authorities and water associations;
(iv) Water sewer associations; and
(v) Rural electric power associations.
(c) "Delinquent" means an account that is unpaid for a period of at least thirty (30) days past the due date of any bill for services already provided.
(d) "Undisputed" means that there is no dispute of the amount of the bill and that the bill is properly due and owed.
(2) (a) When an account is delinquent for the payment of an undisputed bill for any service provided by a provider within this state, if the person who is the account holder moves into another area of this state and applies for or receives any service from another provider, the person's former provider may establish that the account is undisputed and that the delinquent amount is properly due and owed by that particular individual in that amount, if the individual owing the delinquent amount is notified by the current provider, the current provider shall refuse to provide service to the delinquent person until the person or the former providers provide proof of curing the delinquency.
(b) This subsection shall not apply to a delinquency that has been disputed by the person in writing, unless the delinquency has been reduced to a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
SECTION 2. Section 17-25-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, which allows counties and municipalities additional remedies in order to assist the collection of delinquent utility bills, is repealed.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2010.
