HLS 24RS-2398 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 965 (Substitute for House Bill No. 574 by Representative Hilferty)
BY REPRESENTATIVE HILFERTY
SEWERAGE/N O WATER BD: Provides relative to billing for services provided by the
sewerage and water board of New Orleans
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 33:4159.3, relative to the city of New Orleans; to provide relative to the
3 sewerage and water board of New Orleans; to provide relative to bills for services
4 provided by the board; to provide for fixed billing and dispute arbitration; and to
5 provide for related matters.
6 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published
7 as provided by Article III, Section 13 of the Constitution of
8 Louisiana.
9Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 33:4159.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 ยง4159.3. Residential customer billing; fixed rate; arbitration
12 A. The board shall present every residential customer with the option of
13 paying a fixed monthly rate for services. The fixed rate available to a customer shall
14 be determined by averaging the customer's recent bills, and the board shall notify
15 each residential customer of the option for fixed rate billing and the amount he would
16 pay each month. A customer who selects the fixed rate option shall be billed the
17 specified monthly amount until an automated meter is installed and operable at his
18 residence.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-2398 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 965
1 B. There is hereby established an arbitration program applicable to
2 residential customers who dispute their bills from the board. The program shall
3 function in accordance with the following requirements:
4 (1) The legislative auditor and the New Orleans inspector general shall,
5 acting together, appoint one arbiter for each councilmanic district in New Orleans,
6 subject to confirmation by the city council.
7 (2) If a customer disputes a monthly bill or the fixed monthly rate offered
8 pursuant to Subsection A of this Section, his case shall be referred to the arbiter for
9 the councilmanic district in which his residence is located.
10 (3) The arbiter shall meet with the customer in a private location in a public
11 building within the councilmanic district and review all evidence available.
12 (4) Based on his review, the arbiter shall determine whether the bill amount
13 or the proposed fixed rate amount is appropriate and if not, what the appropriate
14 amount or rate is.
15 (5) If the arbiter determines that the appropriate bill or rate amount is lower
16 than what has been submitted to the customer, he shall notify the board, and the
17 board shall lower the amount or rate to that which the arbiter has determined is
18 appropriate.
19 (6) If the customer is dissatisfied with the determination of the arbiter, the
20 customer may appeal to the city council as otherwise provided by law.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 965 Original 2024 Regular Session Hilferty
Abstract: Provides relative to billing for services provided by the sewerage and water
board of New Orleans.
Proposed law requires the sewerage and water board of New Orleans (the board) to present
every residential customer with the option of paying a fixed monthly rate for services.
Requires the board to notify each customer of the option for fixed rate billing and the amount
he would pay each month. Provides that the fixed rate applies until an automated meter is
installed and operable at his residence.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-2398 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 965
Proposed law provides for an arbitration program applicable to residential customers who
dispute their bills. Requires the following with respect to the program:
(1)The legislative auditor and the New Orleans inspector general shall appoint one
arbiter for each councilmanic district in New Orleans, subject to confirmation by the
city council.
(2)If a customer disputes a monthly bill or the fixed monthly rate offered pursuant to
proposed law, his case shall be referred to the arbiter for the councilmanic district in
which his residence is located.
(3)The arbiter shall meet with the customer in a private location in a public building
within the councilmanic district and review all evidence available.
(4)Based on his review, the arbiter shall determine whether the bill or fixed rate amount
is appropriate and if not, what the appropriate amount or rate is.
(5)If the arbiter determines that the appropriate bill or rate amount is lower than what
has been submitted to the customer, he shall notify the board, and the board shall
lower the amount or rate to that which the arbiter has determined is appropriate.
(6)Provides that the customer may appeal the arbiter's determination to the city council
as otherwise provided by present law.
(Adds R.S. 33:4159.3)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.