| 1 | 1 | | |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | Introduced Version |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | SENATE BILL No. 226 |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | _____ |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | Citations Affected: IC 8-1-2-46. |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Synopsis: Utility customer assistance programs. Amends the statute |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | that authorizes a water or wastewater utility, in the context of a general |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | rate case, to establish a customer assistance program for qualified |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | residential customers, to provide the same authority to energy utilities. |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Effective: Upon passage. |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Hunley |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | January 8, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Utilities. |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | 2025 IN 226—LS 6686/DI 101 Introduced |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025) |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type. |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution. |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | SENATE BILL No. 226 |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | utilities. |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | 1 SECTION 1. IC 8-1-2-46, AS AMENDED BY P.L.233-2017, |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | 2 SECTION 9, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | 3 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 46. (a) The commission shall provide for a |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | 4 comprehensive classification of such service for each public utility and |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | 5 such classification may take into account the quantity used, the time |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | 6 when used, the purpose for which used and other reasonable |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | 7 consideration. Each public utility is required to conform its schedules |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | 8 of rates, tolls, and charges to such classification. |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | 9 (b) As used in this section, "energy utility" means: |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | 10 (1) a public utility, as defined in section 1(a) of this chapter; |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 11 (2) a municipally owned utility, as defined in section 1(h) of |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | 12 this chapter; |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | 13 (3) a cooperatively owned utility; or |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | 14 (4) a not-for-profit utility, including a utility company owned, |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | 15 operated, or held in trust by a consolidated city; |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | 16 that provides electric utility service, gas utility service, or both |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | 17 electric utility service and gas utility service to the public. |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | 2025 IN 226—LS 6686/DI 101 2 |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | 1 (c) As used in this section, "utility" means: |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | 2 (1) an energy utility; or |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | 3 (2) a water or wastewater utility. |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | 4 (b) (d) As used in this section, "water or wastewater utility" means: |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | 5 (1) a public utility, as defined in section 1(a) of this chapter; |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | 6 (2) a municipally owned utility, as defined in section 1(h) of this |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | 7 chapter; or |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | 8 (3) a not-for-profit utility, as defined in section 125(a) of this |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | 9 chapter; |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | 10 that provides water or wastewater service to the public. |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | 11 (c) (e) Upon request by a water or wastewater utility in a general |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | 12 rate case, the commission may allow, but may not require, a water or |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | 13 wastewater utility to establish a customer assistance program that: |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | 14 (1) uses state or federal infrastructure funds, as applicable; or |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | 15 (2) provides financial relief to residential customers who qualify |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | 16 for income related assistance. |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | 17 A customer assistance program established under this subsection that |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | 18 affects rates and charges for service is not discriminatory for purposes |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | 19 of this chapter or any other law regulating rates and charges for service. |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | 20 In considering whether to approve a water or wastewater utility's |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | 21 proposed customer assistance program, the commission shall determine |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | 22 that a customer assistance program established under this subsection |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | 23 furthers the interests set forth in section 0.5 of this chapter and is in the |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | 24 public interest. |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | 25 (d) (f) The commission shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | 26 implement this section. |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | 27 SECTION 2. An emergency is declared for this act. |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | 2025 IN 226—LS 6686/DI 101 |
|---|