Connecticut Senate Bill SB00383

Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/25
• Refer: 1/9/25

Caption

An Act Requiring An Audit Of Unpaid Utility Bills Due To Financial Hardship.

Impact

The bill looks to amend existing statutes to ensure that public utilities implement effective measures for recovering costs of unpaid bills without compromising service to financially challenged customers. By requiring monthly public updates from PURA on the status of unpaid utility bills and the efficacy of hardship protection measures, the bill aims to promote greater transparency in the utilities sector. This initiative could help in understanding the implications these practices may have on ratepayers as costs could be passed down from utilities that fail to collect from customers.

Summary

SB00383 aims to address the concerns surrounding unpaid utility bills of customers facing financial hardships. The proposed legislation requires an audit of hardship protection measures that prevent utility service termination for those in financial distress. This audit is intended to investigate the practices employed by public utilities and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) regarding the collection of unpaid bills while safeguarding vulnerable customers.

Contention

One notable point of contention surrounding SB00383 revolves around the balance between utility companies’ financial viability and the protection of customers facing financial hardships. Considerations may arise about whether the auditing requirements could impose additional burdens on utilities, potentially leading to disruptions in service or increased costs that could ultimately impact ratepayers. Advocates for the bill argue that it is essential to ensure that vulnerable customers receive necessary protections while enabling accountability within the utilities industry.