SLS 15RS-295 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 49
BY SENATOR MURRAY
LOCAL AGENCIES. Provides relative to credits and deposits into the "Water Help
Program Fund" of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 33:4083.1, relative to the city of New Orleans; to provide
3 relative to receipt and disbursement of unclaimed customer credit balances and water
4 deposits into the "Water Help Program Fund"; to provide for notifications by the
5 board; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
6 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 33:4083.1 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
9 ยง4083.1. Receipt and disbursement of unclaimed customer credit balances and
10 water deposits
11 Any unclaimed customer credit balances or deposits collected from
12 consumers for the supply of water to such consumers for which a request for refund
13 is not made within eighteen months after termination of services and which are
14 unclaimed or abandoned after such eighteen-month period shall be deposited to the
15 credit of the board in a special fund designated as the "Water Help Program Fund".
16 Within thirty ninety days after termination of services, the board shall notify the
17 customer by electronic mail, regular postage, or certified mail sent to the last
Page 1 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 49
SLS 15RS-295 ORIGINAL
1 known address of the customer that his unclaimed customer credit balance or deposit
2 will be deposited to the "Water Help Program Fund"; however, a claim for return of
3 the unclaimed customer credit balance or deposit shall not prescribe, if not claimed
4 within eighteen months after termination of services. The board may deduct postage
5 costs of the notice from the unclaimed customer credit balance or deposit. The
6 monies in such fund shall be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of R.S.
7 33:4083 and shall be used solely for the "Water Help Program Fund".
8 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
9 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
10 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
11 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
12 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michael Bell.
DIGEST
SB 49 Original 2015 Regular Session Murray
Present law requires that when a customer does not make a request for refund of a credit
balance or deposit within 18 months after termination of services are considered unclaimed
or abandoned after the 18-month period and shall be deposited to the credit of the board in
a special fund designated as the "Water Help Program Fund".
Present law provides for the board to notify the customer within 30 days after termination
of services, by certified mail sent to the last known address of the customer, that his
unclaimed customer credit balance or deposit will be deposited to the fund.
Proposed law retains present law and changes the notification time the board has to notify
the customer from 30 days to 90 days after termination of services, and authorizes notice to
the customer to also be given by electronic mail or regular postage.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 33:4083.1)
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.