House Study Bill 602 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL BY CHAIRPERSON SCHULTZ) A BILL FOR An Act relating to customer choice regarding the installation 1 of certain public utility meters. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5494YC (2) 85 rn/nh

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 476.6, Code 2014, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 23. a. On and after July 1, 2014, a 3 public utility shall not install a smart meter at a customer’s 4 residence or place of business without first providing the 5 customer the opportunity to consent to the installation or to 6 refuse such consent, and shall offer to remove a smart meter 7 free of charge which was installed without the customer being 8 provided that opportunity. A public utility shall not offer to 9 provide or provide discounted rates to customers in exchange 10 for obtaining the customer’s consent to install a smart meter, 11 and shall not charge a fee, assessment, or higher rate to 12 customers choosing not to consent to such an installation. The 13 board shall adopt rules to implement this subsection. 14 b. For the purposes of this subsection, “smart meter” 15 means a public utility meter which is interconnected through a 16 secured internet network connection, telephone connection, or 17 radio frequency connection between a customer’s residence or 18 business and the public utility, facilitating more accurate and 19 accessible information regarding energy, water, or gas usage; 20 peak event notifications; and reports and savings summaries. 21 EXPLANATION 22 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 23 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 24 This bill provides that on and after July 1, 2014, a public 25 utility shall not install a smart meter at a customer’s 26 residence or place of business without first providing the 27 customer the opportunity to consent to the installation or to 28 refuse such consent, and shall offer to remove a smart meter 29 free of charge which was installed without the customer being 30 provided that opportunity. The bill also provides that a 31 public utility shall not offer to provide or provide discounted 32 rates to customers in exchange for obtaining the customer’s 33 consent to install a smart meter, and shall not charge a fee, 34 assessment, or higher rate to customers choosing not to consent 35 -1- LSB 5494YC (2) 85 rn/nh 1/ 2

H.F. _____ to such an installation. The bill directs the Iowa utilities 1 board to adopt rules to implement the bill’s provisions. 2 The bill defines a “smart meter” to mean a public utility 3 meter which is interconnected through a secured internet 4 network connection, telephone connection, or radio frequency 5 connection between a customer’s residence or business and the 6 public utility, facilitating more accurate and accessible 7 information regarding energy, water, or gas usage; peak event 8 notifications; and reports and savings summaries. 9 -2- LSB 5494YC (2) 85 rn/nh 2/ 2