Virginia House Bill 1054 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: Introduced on January 12 2022 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2022-02-15 - Left in Commerce and Energy
Pending: House Commerce and Energy Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Prefiled) [HTML]

Disaster or emergency; weather extremes; disconnection prohibitions for certain utilities; residential customers; report. Prohibits telecommunications electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities and broadband companies from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees during a declared state of emergency, emergency, major disaster, disaster, resource shortage, or local emergency, as those terms are defined in the Code. The bill provides that the prohibition lasts for 60 days after the state of emergency, emergency, major disaster, disaster, resource shortage, or local emergency has ended or state or local officials determine that the prohibition need no longer be in place, whichever occurs first. The bill further prohibits electric, gas, water, or wastewater utilities from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees during the heating period of each year, during the cooling period of each year, when the forecasted temperature low is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or the forecasted temperature high is to exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and during, as declared by the National Weather Service, a winter storm watch or warning, winter weather advisory, freeze warning, heat advisory, or excessive heat watch or warning. Prior to disconnecting a residential customer for the nonpayment of bills, the utility shall apply any available resources to help reduce the customer's debt or enroll the customer in a repayment plan. Disconnections and reconnections based on a residential customer's nonpayment of bills or fees shall not involve extra fees. Under the bill, the State Corporation Commission is required to report annually on disconnections and reconnections for nonpayment of bills, beginning December 1, 2022, and report monthly certain information as described in the bill, beginning December 15, 2022. Disaster or emergency; weather extremes; disconnection prohibitions for certain utilities; residential customers; report. Prohibits telecommunications electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities and broadband companies from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees during a declared state of emergency, emergency, major disaster, disaster, resource shortage, or local emergency, as those terms are defined in the Code. The bill provides that the prohibition lasts for 60 days after the state of emergency, emergency, major disaster, disaster, resource shortage, or local emergency has ended or state or local officials determine that the prohibition need no longer be in place, whichever occurs first. The bill further prohibits electric, gas, water, or wastewater utilities from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees during the heating period of each year, during the cooling period of each year, when the forecasted temperature low is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or the forecasted temperature high is to exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and during, as declared by the National Weather Service, a winter storm watch or warning, winter weather advisory, freeze warning, heat advisory, or excessive heat watch or warning. Prior to disconnecting a residential customer for the nonpayment of bills, the utility shall apply any available resources to help reduce the customer's debt or enroll the customer in a repayment plan. Disconnections and reconnections based on a residential customer's nonpayment of bills or fees shall not involve extra fees. Under the bill, the State Corporation Commission is required to report annually on disconnections and reconnections for nonpayment of bills, beginning December 1, 2022, and report monthly certain information as described in the bill, beginning December 15, 2022.

Residential customers; disconnection prohibitions for certain utilities.

Del. Irene Shin [D]

Del. Kaye Kory [D]

2022-02-08 - House - House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (3-Y 2-N) (Y: 3 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2022-02-15	House	Left in Commerce and Energy
2022-02-08	House	Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (3-Y 2-N)
2022-02-07	House	Assigned sub: Subcommittee #4
2022-02-04	House	Referred to Committee on Commerce and Energy
2022-02-04	House	Referred from Public Safety by voice vote
2022-01-12	House	Referred to Committee on Public Safety
2022-01-12	House	Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/12/22 22101536D

Type	Source
Summary	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+sum+HB1054
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+ful+HB1054+hil
Amendment	https://committees.lis.virginia.gov/pdfs/drafts/22106313D.pdf
Supplement	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+oth+HB1054F171+PDF
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+vot+H2304V0009+HB1054