Researcher: MF Page 1 4/9/24
OLR Bill Analysis
HB 5441
AN ACT CONCERNING UTILITY SHUTOFFS FOR CERTAIN
CUSTOMERS.
SUMMARY
This bill limits utility shutoff protections to customers who are
hardship cases and eliminates automatic hardship status for customers
who are seriously ill or who have a seriously ill household member.
The bill explicitly allows gas and electric utilities and electric
suppliers to terminate, deny, or refuse to reinstate residential electric or
gas service for nonpayment to any customer who is ill or has a life-
threatening situation or has a household member who is ill or has a life-
threatening situation unless the law prohibits doing so (i.e., unless the
customer is a hardship case).
The bill narrows certain protections to only apply to hardship cases.
These include protections for customers who (1) lack the financial
resources to pay the entire account if the utility’s or supplier’s action
would create a life-threatening situation for the customer or household
member or (2) communicate to a utility that a resident is seriously ill, as
certified by registered physician, a physician assistant, or an APRN
(Advanced Practice Registered Nurse).
The bill requires, rather than allows, the Public Utilities Regulatory
Authority (PURA) to adopt regulations setting a deadline for customers
to certify their serious illnesses based on when they receive termination
notices. The bill delays PURA’s deadline to amend related regulations
by one year, to October 1, 2025, and narrows their scope.
The bill also makes technical and conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2024 2024HB-05441-R000370-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MF Page 2 4/9/24
HARDSHIP CASES
Definition
Under current law, hardship cases include, but are not limited to,
customers who meet any of the following criteria:
1. receive local, state, or federal public assistance;
2. have Social Security, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or
unemployment compensation benefits as their sole source of
financial support;
3. are unemployed heads of households with household incomes
less than 300% of the federal poverty limit (FPL);
4. are seriously ill or have seriously ill household members;
5. have income under 125% of FPL; or
6. face deprivation of food and necessities of life for themselves or
their dependent children if payment of a delinquent bill is
required.
The bill eliminates hardship status for customers who are seriously
ill or have seriously ill household members, retaining the other
(generally, income-based) criteria. The bill limits hardship cases to those
specified in law.
Protections and Other Provisions
In addition to the shutoff protections described above, hardship cases
are generally protected from utility shutoff in the following
circumstances if a customer lacks the financial resources to pay the
entire account:
1. seasonally, from November 1 to May 1; or
2. a child up to age 24 months resides in the household and a
physician, physician assistant, or an APRN has indicated on the
child’s hospital discharge papers that utility service is necessary
for the child’s health and wellbeing. 2024HB-05441-R000370-BA.DOCX
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Existing law also limits the extent to which hardship customers may
purchase electricity through electric suppliers. Specifically, the law
allows hardship customers to enroll with electric suppliers if the
supplier’s contract has rates that are no higher than the standard service
rate for the contract’s duration (CGS § 12-245o).
PURA Regulations
Current law requires PURA to amend its regulations by October 1,
2024, on topics including hardship case determinations and reasonable
amortization agreements. The bill delays the deadline by one year until
October 1, 2025, and narrows the topics they must address to (1) the
bill’s hardship definition and (2) companies’ explicit right to terminate
service, described above.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Energy and Technology Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 17 Nay 3 (03/21/2024)