Arizona 2023 Regular Session

Arizona Senate Bill SB1514 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	REFERENCE TITLE: electricity; gas; disconnection prohibited State of Arizona Senate Fifty-sixth Legislature First Regular Session 2023 SB 1514 Introduced by Senators Mendez: Miranda, Sundareshan, Tern; Representative Salman An Act amending title 40, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding chapter 3; relating to residential power. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
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9	9	REFERENCE TITLE: electricity; gas; disconnection prohibited
10	10	State of Arizona Senate Fifty-sixth Legislature First Regular Session 2023
11	11	SB 1514
12	12	Introduced by Senators Mendez: Miranda, Sundareshan, Tern; Representative Salman
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14	14	REFERENCE TITLE: electricity; gas; disconnection prohibited
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24	24	State of Arizona
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40	40	SB 1514
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44	44	Introduced by
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46	46	Senators Mendez: Miranda, Sundareshan, Tern; Representative Salman
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52	52	An Act
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56	56	amending title 40, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding chapter 3; relating to residential power.
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62	62	(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
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66	66	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Title 40, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding chapter 3, to read: CHAPTER 3 RESIDENTIAL POWER ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS START_STATUTE40-601. Definitions in this article, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Medical professional" has the same meaning prescribed in section 20-2102. 2. "Reasonable payment arrangement" means an agreement between the utility and the customer that provides at least six months for the customer to pay the outstanding balances without being charged interest. 3. "Utility" means a person that delivers electricity or gas-powered energy to a residential property. END_STATUTE START_STATUTE40-602. Service disconnection; prohibition; requirements A. A utility may not disconnect any service related to heating or air conditioning in the following circumstances: 1. For service related to heating, if the temperature where the meter is located is forecasted to drop below thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit. 2. For service related to air conditioning, if the temperature where the meter is located is forecasted to exceed ninety degrees Fahrenheit. B. The utility shall make a reasonable payment arrangement with the customer to allow for the continuation of service. If the customer does not honor the payment arrangement, the utility may disconnect service related to heating once the temperature is above thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit or at the beginning of May, whichever occurs first, or service related to air conditioning once the temperature is below ninety degrees Fahrenheit or at the beginning of October, whichever occurs first. C. A utility may not disconnect a customer's service if any of the following applies: 1. The customer's household income is at or below two hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines and the customer makes a minimum payment. 2. The customer has a household with any of the following: (a) A resident who has a disability or who is sixty-five years of age or older. (b) A pregnant woman. (c) A child who is under five years of age. (d) A person who uses life-support equipment. D. On receipt of written notice from a medical professional, a utility shall delay disconnection of service for a customer for thirty days if the medical professional determines that disconnecting service to a customer would be detrimental to the customer's health due to a medical condition. The utility shall delay disconnection of service for an additional thirty days if at the end of the previous delay the medical professional certifies that the customer continues to suffer from the medical condition. E. Before service is disconnected, a utility shall inform the customer in writing of any low-income assistance program that the utility provides and any additional payment assistance resources. END_STATUTE
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68	68	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
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70	70	Section 1. Title 40, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding chapter 3, to read:
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72	72	CHAPTER 3
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74	74	RESIDENTIAL POWER
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76	76	ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
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78	78	START_STATUTE40-601. Definitions
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80	80	in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:
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82	82	1. "Medical professional" has the same meaning prescribed in section 20-2102.
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84	84	2. "Reasonable payment arrangement" means an agreement between the utility and the customer that provides at least six months for the customer to pay the outstanding balances without being charged interest.
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86	86	3. "Utility" means a person that delivers electricity or gas-powered energy to a residential property. END_STATUTE
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88	88	START_STATUTE40-602. Service disconnection; prohibition; requirements
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90	90	A. A utility may not disconnect any service related to heating or air conditioning in the following circumstances:
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92	92	1. For service related to heating, if the temperature where the meter is located is forecasted to drop below thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit.
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94	94	2. For service related to air conditioning, if the temperature where the meter is located is forecasted to exceed ninety degrees Fahrenheit.
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96	96	B. The utility shall make a reasonable payment arrangement with the customer to allow for the continuation of service. If the customer does not honor the payment arrangement, the utility may disconnect service related to heating once the temperature is above thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit or at the beginning of May, whichever occurs first, or service related to air conditioning once the temperature is below ninety degrees Fahrenheit or at the beginning of October, whichever occurs first.
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98	98	C. A utility may not disconnect a customer's service if any of the following applies:
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100	100	1. The customer's household income is at or below two hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines and the customer makes a minimum payment.
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102	102	2. The customer has a household with any of the following:
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104	104	(a) A resident who has a disability or who is sixty-five years of age or older.
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106	106	(b) A pregnant woman.
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108	108	(c) A child who is under five years of age.
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110	110	(d) A person who uses life-support equipment.
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112	112	D. On receipt of written notice from a medical professional, a utility shall delay disconnection of service for a customer for thirty days if the medical professional determines that disconnecting service to a customer would be detrimental to the customer's health due to a medical condition. The utility shall delay disconnection of service for an additional thirty days if at the end of the previous delay the medical professional certifies that the customer continues to suffer from the medical condition.
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114	114	E. Before service is disconnected, a utility shall inform the customer in writing of any low-income assistance program that the utility provides and any additional payment assistance resources. END_STATUTE