Vermont S. 204: An act relating to the registration of short-term rentals

Bill Text

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S.204 1
Introduced by Senators White and Watson 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Utilities; electric ratepayers; low- and moderate-income households; 5
financial assistance; utility disconnections; consumer protections 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the 7
Public Utility Commission to establish in the form of draft legislation an 8
electric ratepayer protection program for low- and moderate-income ratepayers 9
and, in addition, provide additional consumer protections with respect to utility 10
disconnections. 11
An act relating to electric ratepayer assistance and utility disconnections 12
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
Sec. 1. SHORT TITLE 14
This act may be cited as the “Vermont Energy Equity Law.” 15
Sec. 2. 30 V.S.A. § 209(b) is amended to read: 16
(b) Required rules. 17
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 218 of this chapter, the 18
Public Utility Commission shall, under 3 V.S.A. chapter 25, adopt rules 19
applicable to companies subject to this chapter that: 20

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(1)(A) regulate or prescribe terms and conditions of extension of 1
utility service to customers or applicants for service including: 2
(A)(i) the conditions under which a deposit may be required, if 3
any; 4
(B)(ii) the extension of service lines; 5
(C)(iii) the terms of payment of any required deposit; and 6
(D)(iv) the return of any deposit; 7
(2)(B) regulate or prescribe the grounds upon which the companies 8
may disconnect or refuse to reconnect service to customers; and 9
(3)(C) regulate and prescribe reasonable procedures used by 10
companies in disconnecting or reconnecting services and billing customers. 11
(2) The Public Utility Commission shall amend Rule 3.300, concerning 12
disconnection of residential gas, electric, and water service, to specify that: 13
(A) a physician’s certificate certifying that a ratepayer or resident 14
within the ratepayer’s household would suffer an immediate and serious health 15
hazard by the disconnection of gas, electric, or water service, or by failure to 16
reconnect such service, shall prevent disconnection or require reconnection, as 17
applicable, and shall remain in effect for the time period specified in the 18
certification unless the Commission rules otherwise; and 19

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(B) no gas, electric, or water utility may disconnect service to any 1
residential ratepayer during periods of extreme heat, as defined by the 2
Commission. 3
Sec. 3. 30 V.S.A. § 209c is amended to read: 4
§ 209c. ELECTRICITY AFFORDABILITY ELECTRIC 5
RATEPAYER PROTECTION PROGRAM 6
(a) The Public Utility Commission shall design a proposed electricity 7
affordability statewide electric ratepayer protection program in the form of 8
draft legislation for low- and moderate-income households. The program shall 9
be developed with the aid of an electricity affordability electric ratepayer 10
protection program collaborative. The collaborative, composed of 11
representatives from the electric utilities, residential customers, consumer 12
representatives, low-income low- and moderate-income program 13
representatives, representatives from programs for elders, the Department of 14
Public Service, the Agency of Human Services, and other stakeholders 15
identified by the Commission, shall aid in the development of an electricity 16
affordability the program, as well as including requirements for the 17
implementation and funding of the program. The proposed electricity 18
affordability program will be presented to the Vermont General Assembly in 19
the form of draft legislation for consideration in January 2007 On or before 20
January 15, 2027, the Commission shall submit the program developed 21

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pursuant to this section in the form of draft legislation to the House Committee 1
on Energy and Digital Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Finance. 2
(b) The proposed electricity affordability electric ratepayer protection 3
program shall provide financial assistance in the payment of electricity bills for 4
eligible low-income low- and moderate-income residential customers served 5
by electric companies subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission. 6
(c) In developing the electricity affordability program, the Commission 7
shall review the successes and administrative burdens of similar programs in 8
operation in other states and consider the following goals, which shall be 9
afforded equal weight in formulating the program The electric ratepayer 10
protection program may include: 11
(1) the need to provide payment assistance to low-income eligibility for 12
customers at and below 150 300 percent of the federal poverty level; 13
(2) the need for where feasible, automatic screening and e