SSHB913 4463 4905
HOUSE SUMMARY OF SENATE AMENDMENTS
HB 913 2024 Regular Session Selders
UTILITIES: Provides for transparency for utility bills
Synopsis of Senate Amendments
1.Amends the definition for "housing provider".
2.Adds definitions for "individual meter", "original bill", "tenant", "third-party
billing", "unit" or "residential unit", and "utility" or "utilities".
3.Provides that proposed law applies to housing providers that utilize third-party
billing.
4.Changes the process for a tenant to request and have access to original utility
bills.
5.Adds that failure of a housing provider to comply with proposed law shall not
relieve the tenant from the responsibility to remit full payment to a third-party
billing service.
6.Adds that requests made under proposed law for utilities may be made
electronically.
7.Makes technical changes.
Digest of Bill as Finally Passed by Senate
Proposed law defines "housing provider", "individual meter", "original bill", "tenant", "third-
party billing", "unit" or "residential unit", and "utility" or "utilities".
Proposed law applies to housing providers that utilize third-party billing to manage utility
billing for a residential unit with an individual meter.
Proposed law provides that a tenant may request a copy of the original utility bill. Further
provides that the request, if made, shall be in writing and specify the following:
(1)The utility for which the tenant is requesting a copy of the original bill.
(2)The range of dates for which the tenant is requesting a copy of the original bill, which
shall be no earlier than the last day of the billing cycle immediately preceding the
date the request is transmitted to the housing provider.
(3)Whether the tenant is requesting to be provided with a copy of all future original bills
for the utility specified in the request.
Proposed law requires a housing provider to supply the tenant with copies of the original bill
or bills for the previous billing cycle within 30 days of receipt of a request.
Proposed law requires a housing provider to supply the tenant with copies of the original bill
for future billing cycles within 30 days of receipt of the original bill.
Proposed law provides that failure of a housing provider to supply the original bill upon
request by the tenant does not relieve the tenant from the responsibility to remit full payment
to a third-party provider.
Page 1 of 2 SSHB913 4463 4905
Proposed law provides that request made under proposed law for utilities may be made
electronically.
Proposed law provides that a housing provider shall be fined not more than $500 per
violation of proposed law.
Proposed law allows a tenant or the attorney general to bring an action against a housing
provider that violates proposed law and further provides for injunctive relief and penalties.
(Adds R.S. 51:3271-3274)
Page 2 of 2