North Carolina SB 1027: Extreme Heat/Ban Utility Disconnections.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 1027

Short Title: Extreme Heat/Ban Utility Disconnections. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Salvador, Murdock, and Waddell (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 4, 2026
*S1027-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO PROVIDE UTILITY SHUT-OFF PROTECTIONS DURING PERIODS OF 2
EXTREME HEAT, EXTREME COLD, AND POOR AIR QUALITY; TO PROTECT 3
RESIDENTIAL TENANTS FROM PERIODS OF EXTREME HEAT AND POOR AIR 4
QUALITY BY AUTHORIZING THE INSTALLATION OF PORTABLE COOLING AND 5
AIR FILTRATION DEVICES; AND TO MAKE VARIOUS TECHNICAL CHANGES. 6
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 7
SECTION 1. G.S. 62-159.1 reads as rewritten: 8
"§ 62-159.1. Debt collection practices. 9
... 10
(c) No public utility or electric membership corporation shall suspend or disconnect 11
service to a residential retail customer during a period of extreme heat or a period of poor air 12
quality as defined in G.S. 42-40 or extreme cold with a high temperature under 32 degrees 13
Fahrenheit. A public utility and electric membership corporation shall offer customers with 14
delinquent accounts, who have been adversely affected by the extreme weather event, with the 15
option of settling any unpaid balance through participation in a deferred payment plan." 16
SECTION 2. G.S. 42-40 reads as rewritten: 17
"§ 42-40. Definitions. 18
For the purpose of this Article, the following definitions shall apply: 19
(1) "Action" includes recoupment, Action. – Recoupment, counterclaim, defense, 20
setoff, and any other proceeding including an action for possession. 21
(1a) Air quality alert. – An alert that includes a warning regarding unhealthy or 22
very unhealthy air quality (Air Quality Index of 151 or higher) or similar alert 23
for the area in which the tenant's address is located. 24
(1b) Heat-related alert. – An alert that includes an excessive heat warning, 25
excessive heat watch, extreme heat index advisory, heat advisory, or similar 26
alert for the area in which the tenant's address is located. 27
(1c) Landlord. – Any owner and any rental management company, rental agency, 28
or any other person having the actual or apparent authority of an agent to 29
perform the duties imposed by this Article. 30
(1d) Period of extreme heat. – A period beginning 24 hours before the effective 31
time of any heat-related alert issued or announced by the National Weather 32
Service, or beginning at the effective time of any heat-related alert issued 33
without advance announcement, and ending 48 hours after the expiration or 34
cancellation of the heat-related alert. If multiple heat-related alerts overlap or 35
are sequential, the period of extreme heat includes all overlapping or 36

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 1027-First Edition
sequential alerts and continues uninterrupted until 48 hours after the last 1
heat-related alert expires or is canceled. 2
(1e) Period of poor air quality. – A period beginning 24 hours before the effective 3
time of any air quality alert issued or announced by the Environmental 4
Protection Agency or the North Carolina Department of Environmental 5
Quality, or beginning at the effective time of any air quality alert issued 6
without advance announcement, and ending 48 hours after the expiration or 7
cancellation of the air quality alert. If multiple air quality alerts overlap or are 8
sequential, the period of poor air quality includes all overlapping or sequential 9
alerts and continues uninterrupted until 48 hours after the last air quality alert 10
expires or is canceled. 11
(1f) Portable air filtration device. – An air purifier or similar device designed to 12
improve indoor air quality but not including a device whose installation or use 13
requires alteration to the premises. 14
(1g) Portable cooling device. – An air conditioner, or evaporative cooler, including 15
a device mounted in a window or designed to sit on the floor, but not including 16
a device whose installation or use requires alteration to the premises. 17
(2) "Premises" means a Premises. – A dwelling unit, including mobile homes or 18
mobile home spaces, and the structure of which it is a part and facilities and 19
appurtenances therein and grounds, areas, and facilities normally held out for 20
the use of residential tenants. 21
(3) "Landlord" means any owner and any rental management company, rental 22
agency, or any other person having the actual or apparent authority of an agent 23
to perform the duties imposed by this Article. 24
(4) "Protected tenant" means a Protected tenant. – A tenant or household member 25
who is a victim of domestic violence under Chapter 50B of the General 26
Statutes or sexual assault or stalking under Chapter 14 of the General 27
Statutes." 28
SECTION 3. Article 5 of Chapter 42 of the General Statutes is amended by adding 29
a new section to read: 30
"§ 42-42.4. Tenant right to install portable cooling and