Connecticut 2024 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00297 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3		-	LCO 1965 1 of 5
	3	+	LCO No. 1965 1 of 5
4	4
5	5		General Assembly Raised Bill No. 297
6	6		February Session, 2024
7	7		LCO No. 1965
8	8
9	9
10	10		Referred to Committee on ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY
11	11
12	12
13	13		Introduced by:
14	14		(ET)
	15	+
15	16
16	17
17	18
18	19		AN ACT CONCERNING CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR CUSTOMERS
19	20		OF SOLAR POWER COMPANIES.
20	21		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
21	22		Assembly convened:
22	23
23	24		Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2024) (a) For purposes of this 1
24	25		section: 2
25	26		(1) "Residential solar photovoltaic system" has the same meaning as 3
26	27		provided in section 16-245nn of the general statutes; and 4
27	28		(2) "Residential solar photovoltaic systems provider" means any 5
28	29		individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation or other 6
29	30		legal entity which provides residential solar photovoltaic systems. 7
30	31		(b) (1) Any third-party agent who contracts with or is otherwise 8
31	32		compensated by a residential solar photovoltaic systems provider to sell 9
32	33		residential solar photovoltaic systems shall be a legal agent of such 10
33	34		provider. No third-party agent may sell residential solar photovoltaic 11
34	35		systems on behalf of such provider unless (A) the third-party agent is 12
35	36		an employee or independent contractor of such provider, and (B) the 13
36		-	third-party agent has received training directly from such provider. 14 Bill No. 297
	37	+	third-party agent has received training directly from such provider. 14 Raised Bill No. 297
37	38
38	39
39		-	LCO 1965 2 of 5
	40	+
	41	+	LCO No. 1965 2 of 5
40	42
41	43		(2) All sales and solicitations of residential solar photovoltaic systems 15
42	44		by a residential solar photovoltaic systems provider or agent of such 16
43	45		provider to a customer conducted and consummated entirely by mail, 17
44	46		door-to-door sale, telephone or other electronic means, during a 18
45	47		scheduled appointment at the premises of a customer or at a fair, trade 19
46	48		or business show, convention or exposition shall: 20
47	49		(A) For any sale or solicitation, (i) identify the person making such 21
48	50		sale or solicitation and the residential solar photovoltaic systems 22
49	51		provider or providers the person represents; (ii) explain the purpose of 23
50	52		the solicitation; and (iii) explain all rates, fees, variable charges and 24
51	53		terms and conditions for the residential solar photovoltaic systems 25
52	54		provided; and 26
53	55		(B) For door-to-door sales to customers, be conducted (i) in 27
54	56		accordance with any municipal and local ordinances regarding door-to-28
55	57		door solicitations; (ii) between the hours of ten o'clock a.m. and six 29
56	58		o'clock p.m. unless the customer schedules an earlier or later 30
57	59		appointment; and (iii) with both English and Spanish written materials 31
58	60		available. Any representative of a residential solar photovoltaic systems 32
59	61		provider or agent of such provider shall prominently display or wear a 33
60	62		photo identification badge stating the name of such person's employer 34
61	63		or the residential solar photovoltaic systems provider the person 35
62	64		represents. 36
63	65		(3) Each residential solar photovoltaic systems provider shall file 37
64	66		annually with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority a list that 38
65	67		contains the name of any agent working on behalf of such provider. 39
66	68		(4) Each residential solar photovoltaic systems provider shall develop 40
67	69		and implement standards and qualifications for employees and third-41
68	70		party agents who are engaged in the sale or solicitation of residential 42
69	71		solar photovoltaic systems by such provider. 43
70	72		(c) Each residential solar photovoltaic systems provider or agent of 44
71	73		such provider shall comply with the provisions of the telemarketing 45
72		-	rules adopted pursuant to 15 USC 6102. 46 Bill No. 297
	74	+	rules adopted pursuant to 15 USC 6102. 46 Raised Bill No. 297
73	75
74	76
75		-	LCO 1965 3 of 5
	77	+
	78	+	LCO No. 1965 3 of 5
76	79
77	80		(d) Any violation of this section shall be deemed an unfair or 47
78	81		deceptive trade practice under subsection (a) of section 42-110b of the 48
79	82		general statutes. Any contract for the residential solar photovoltaic 49
80	83		systems that the authority finds to be the product of unfair or deceptive 50
81	84		marketing practices or in material violation of the provisions of this 51
82	85		section shall be void and unenforceable. Any waiver of the provisions 52
83	86		of this section by a customer of residential solar photovoltaic systems 53
84	87		shall be deemed void and unenforceable by the residential solar 54
85	88		photovoltaic systems provider. 55
86	89		Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to 56
87	90		examine and make recommendations concerning policy, regulations 57
88	91		and legislation to improve disclosure requirements and consumer 58
89	92		protection for consumers who purchase, lease or enter into power 59
90	93		purchase agreements for solar photovoltaic systems. Such study shall 60
91	94		include an examination of whether special protections are necessary for 61
92	95		consumers who are low-income or senior citizens. 62
93	96		(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 63
94	97		(1) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or 64
95	98		the commissioner's designee; 65
96	99		(2) The chairperson of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, or 66
97	100		the chairperson's designee; 67
98	101		(3) The Consumer Counsel, or the Consumer Counsel's designee; 68
99	102		(4) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the commissioner's 69
100	103		designee; 70
101	104		(5) The president of the Connecticut Green Bank, or the president's 71
102	105		designee; 72
103	106		(6) One appointed by the Governor, who shall be a member of an 73
104	107		association that represents retailers of solar photovoltaic systems in the 74
105		-	state; 75 Bill No. 297
	108	+	state; 75 Raised Bill No. 297
106	109
107	110
108		-	LCO 1965 4 of 5
	111	+
	112	+	LCO No. 1965 4 of 5
109	113
110	114		(7) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 76
111	115		one of whom shall have experience representing senior citizens in 77
112	116		matters related to consumer protection or utilities; 78
113	117		(8) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 79
114	118		whom shall have experience representing consumer groups, especially 80
115	119		in underserved communities; 81
116	120		(9) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 82
117	121		Representatives; 83
118	122		(10) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; 84
119	123		(11) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 85
120	124		Representatives; and 86
121	125		(12) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate. 87
122	126		(c) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later 88
123	127		than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall 89
124	128		be filled by the appointing authority. 90
125	129		(d) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president 91
126	130		pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairperson of the task force 92
127	131		from among the members of the task force. Such chairperson shall 93
128	132		schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later 94
129	133		than sixty days after the effective date of this section. 95
130	134		(e) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 96
131	135		General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy and 97
132	136		technology shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. 98
133	137		(f) Not later than January 1, 2025, the task force shall submit a report 99
134	138		on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committees 100
135	139		of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 101
136	140		energy and technology and general law, in accordance with the 102
137	141		provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall 103
138		-	terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2025, 104 Bill No. 297
	142	+	terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2025, 104 Raised Bill No. 297
139	143
140	144
141		-	LCO 1965 5 of 5
	145	+
	146	+	LCO No. 1965 5 of 5
142	147
143	148		whichever is later. 105
144	149		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
145	150		sections:
146	151
147	152		Section 1 October 1, 2024 New section
148	153		Sec. 2 from passage New section
149	154
150		-	ET Joint Favorable
	155	+	Statement of Purpose:
	156	+	To (1) mandate procedures that residential solar photovoltaic systems
	157	+	providers and agents of such providers must follow when conducting
	158	+	residential solar photovoltaic system solicitations, and (2) establish a
	159	+	task force to study policies to improve consumer protection for
	160	+	customers of solar photovoltaic systems.
	161	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	162	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	163	+	underlined.]
151	164