Text: HF02292 Text: HF02294 Text: HF02200 - HF02299 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 476.20, subsection 2, Code 2001, is 1 2 amended to read as follows: 1 3 2. For the purposes of this subsection unless the context 1 4 otherwise requires, "federal poverty level" means the poverty 1 5 level as defined by the most recently revised poverty income 1 6 guidelines published by the United States department of health 1 7 and human services. The board shall establish rules requiring 1 8 a regulated public utility furnishing gas or electricity to 1 9 include in the utility's notice of pending disconnection of 1 10 service a written statement advising the customer that the 1 11 customer may be eligible to participate in the low income home 1 12 energy assistance program or weatherization assistance program 1 13 administered by the division of community action agencies of 1 14 the department of human rights. The written statement shall 1 15 list the address and telephone number of the local agency 1 16 which is administering the customer's low income home energy 1 17 assistance program and the weatherization assistance program. 1 18 The written statement shall also state that the customer is 1 19 advised to contact the public utility to settle any of the 1 20 customer's complaints with the public utility, but if a 1 21 complaint is not settled to the customer's satisfaction, the 1 22 customer may file the complaint with the board. The written 1 23 statement shall include the address and phone number of the 1 24 board. If the notice of pending disconnection of service 1 25 applies to a residence, the written statement shall advise 1 26 that the disconnection does not apply from November 1 through 1 27April 1May 31 for a resident who is a "head of household", as 1 28 defined by law, and who has been certified to the public 1 29 utility by the local agency which is administering the low 1 30 income home energy assistance program and weatherization 1 31 assistance program as beingeligiblequalified for either the 1 32 low income home energy assistance program or weatherization 1 33 assistance program, or for a resident who is a head of 1 34 household and has a family income that is equal to or less 1 35 than one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty 2 1 level, and that if such. If a resident qualifying for the low 2 2 income home energy assistance program or weatherization 2 3 assistance program resides within the serviced residence, the 2 4 customer should promptly have the qualifying resident notify 2 5 the local agency which is administering the low income home 2 6 energy assistance program and weatherization assistance 2 7 program. The board shall establish rules requiring that the 2 8 written notice contain additional information as it deems 2 9 necessary and appropriate. 2 10 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of 2 11 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 2 12 EXPLANATION 2 13 This bill relates to the restrictions on winter 2 14 disconnection of service provided by public gas and electric 2 15 utilities. 2 16 Under current law in Code section 476.20, relating to 2 17 disconnection of utility service, gas and electric utilities 2 18 must inform customers that if a head of household is eligible 2 19 for the low income home energy assistance program and 2 20 weatherization assistance program, the utilities cannot be 2 21 disconnected during the period of November 1 through April 1. 2 22 The bill extends this moratorium on disconnection through May 2 23 31 and provides that the moratorium also extends to a person 2 24 who is a head of household with a family income that is equal 2 25 to or less than 185 percent of the most recently published 2 26 federal poverty level. 2 27 The disconnection requirements in Code section 476.20 also 2 28 apply to municipally owned gas or electric utilities under 2 29 Code section 384.84, small electrical public utilities and 2 30 cooperatives under Code section 476.1A, municipally owned 2 31 utilities under Code section 476.1B, and small gas utilities 2 32 under Code section 476.1C. 2 33 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 2 34 LSB 6163HH 79 2 35 jp/sh/8
Text: HF02292 Text: HF02294 Text: HF02200 - HF02299 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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