PRINTER'S NO. 1336
No. 1192 Session of 1979
INTRODUCED BY CIMINI, MAY 2, 1979
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, MAY 2, 1979
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, providing defenses to certain utility
3 billings.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 66, act of November 25, 1970 (P.L.707,
7 No.230), known as the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, is
8 amended by adding a section to read:
9 § 1315. Billing errors.
10 (a) Understating correct billing amount.--If a public
11 utility renders a bill to a service customer which understates
12 the correct billing amount because of an error as to the
13 applicable rate or a faculty utility-owned meter, timely and
14 good faith payment of the bill by the service customer shall
15 constitute full satisfaction for the utility service provided
16 during that billing period.
17 (b) Legal defense.--In any legal action instituted by a
18 public utility to recover the correct billing amount under the
19 circumstances set forth in subsection (a), proof by the service
1 customer that the billing error was solely the responsibility of
2 the public utility, that the service customer paid the bill as
3 rendered without knowledge as to the existence of the error, and
4 that the service customer relied to its detriment upon the
5 accuracy of the original bill, shall constitute a legal defense
6 to any such action.
7 (c) Compromise.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this
8 act, a public utility is hereby authorized to enter into a
9 reasonable compromise in full satisfaction of a billing dispute
10 with a service customer arising from circumstances set forth in
11 subsection (a).
12 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately and its
13 provisions shall apply to any claim by a public utility based
14 upon a billing error occurring within six years prior to its
15 effective date.
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