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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 297
February Session, 2024
LCO No. 1965
Referred to Committee on ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY
Introduced by:
(ET)
AN ACT CONCERNING CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR CUSTOMERS
OF SOLAR POWER COMPANIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2024) (a) For purposes of this 1
section: 2
(1) "Residential solar photovoltaic system" has the same meaning as 3
provided in section 16-245nn of the general statutes; and 4
(2) "Residential solar photovoltaic systems provider" means any 5
individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation or other 6
legal entity which provides residential solar photovoltaic systems. 7
(b) (1) Any third-party agent who contracts with or is otherwise 8
compensated by a residential solar photovoltaic systems provider to sell 9
residential solar photovoltaic systems shall be a legal agent of such 10
provider. No third-party agent may sell residential solar photovoltaic 11
systems on behalf of such provider unless (A) the third-party agent is 12
an employee or independent contractor of such provider, and (B) the 13
third-party agent has received training directly from such provider. 14 Bill No. 297
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(2) All sales and solicitations of residential solar photovoltaic systems 15
by a residential solar photovoltaic systems provider or agent of such 16
provider to a customer conducted and consummated entirely by mail, 17
door-to-door sale, telephone or other electronic means, during a 18
scheduled appointment at the premises of a customer or at a fair, trade 19
or business show, convention or exposition shall: 20
(A) For any sale or solicitation, (i) identify the person making such 21
sale or solicitation and the residential solar photovoltaic systems 22
provider or providers the person represents; (ii) explain the purpose of 23
the solicitation; and (iii) explain all rates, fees, variable charges and 24
terms and conditions for the residential solar photovoltaic systems 25
provided; and 26
(B) For door-to-door sales to customers, be conducted (i) in 27
accordance with any municipal and local ordinances regarding door-to-28
door solicitations; (ii) between the hours of ten o'clock a.m. and six 29
o'clock p.m. unless the customer schedules an earlier or later 30
appointment; and (iii) with both English and Spanish written materials 31
available. Any representative of a residential solar photovoltaic systems 32
provider or agent of such provider shall prominently display or wear a 33
photo identification badge stating the name of such person's employer 34
or the residential solar photovoltaic systems provider the person 35
represents. 36
(3) Each residential solar photovoltaic systems provider shall file 37
annually with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority a list that 38
contains the name of any agent working on behalf of such provider. 39
(4) Each residential solar photovoltaic systems provider shall develop 40
and implement standards and qualifications for employees and third-41
party agents who are engaged in the sale or solicitation of residential 42
solar photovoltaic systems by such provider. 43
(c) Each residential solar photovoltaic systems provider or agent of 44
such provider shall comply with the provisions of the telemarketing 45
rules adopted pursuant to 15 USC 6102. 46 Bill No. 297
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(d) Any violation of this section shall be deemed an unfair or 47
deceptive trade practice under subsection (a) of section 42-110b of the 48
general statutes. Any contract for the residential solar photovoltaic 49
systems that the authority finds to be the product of unfair or deceptive 50
marketing practices or in material violation of the provisions of this 51
section shall be void and unenforceable. Any waiver of the provisions 52
of this section by a customer of residential solar photovoltaic systems 53
shall be deemed void and unenforceable by the residential solar 54
photovoltaic systems provider. 55
Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to 56
examine and make recommendations concerning policy, regulations 57
and legislation to improve disclosure requirements and consumer 58
protection for consumers who purchase, lease or enter into power 59
purchase agreements for solar photovoltaic systems. Such study shall 60
include an examination of whether special protections are necessary for 61
consumers who are low-income or senior citizens. 62
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 63
(1) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or 64
the commissioner's designee; 65
(2) The chairperson of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, or 66
the chairperson's designee; 67
(3) The Consumer Counsel, or the Consumer Counsel's designee; 68
(4) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the commissioner's 69
designee; 70
(5) The president of the Connecticut Green Bank, or the president's 71
designee; 72
(6) One appointed by the Governor, who shall be a member of an 73
association that represents retailers of solar photovoltaic systems in the 74
state; 75 Bill No. 297
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(7) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 76
one of whom shall have experience representing senior citizens in 77
matters related to consumer protection or utilities; 78
(8) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 79
whom shall have experience representing consumer groups, especially 80
in underserved communities; 81
(9) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 82
Representatives; 83
(10) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; 84
(11) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 85
Representatives; and 86
(12) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate. 87
(c) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later 88
than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall 89
be filled by the appointing authority. 90
(d) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president 91
pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairperson of the task force 92
from among the members of the task force. Such chairperson shall 93
schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later 94
than sixty days after the effective date of this section. 95
(e) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 96
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy and 97
technology shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. 98
(f) Not later than January 1, 2025, the task force shall submit a report 99
on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committees 100
of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 101
energy and technology and general law, in accordance with the 102
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall 103
terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2025, 104 Bill No. 297
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whichever is later. 105
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2024 New section
Sec. 2 from passage New section
ET Joint Favorable