PRINTER'S NO. 323
No. 286 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY FERLO, FONTANA, WASHINGTON, EARLL, C. WILLIAMS,
LOGAN, RHOADES AND BROWNE, MARCH 9, 2007
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
MARCH 9, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, further providing for cash deposits
3 and household information requirements.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 1404(a) of Title 66 of the Pennsylvania
7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
8 § 1404. Cash deposits and household information requirements.
9 (a) General rule.--In addition to the right to collect a
10 deposit under any commission regulation or order, the commission
11 shall not prohibit a public utility, prior to or as a condition
12 of providing utility service, from requiring a cash deposit in
13 an amount that is equal to [one-sixth] one-twelfth of the
14 applicant's estimated annual bill, at the time the public
15 utility determines a deposit is required, from the following:
16 (1) An applicant who previously received utility
17 distribution services and was a customer of the public
18 utility and whose service was terminated for any of the
1 following reasons:
2 (i) Nonpayment of an undisputed delinquent account.
3 (ii) Failure to complete payment of a deposit,
4 provide a guarantee or establish credit.
5 (iii) Failure to permit access to meters, service
6 connections or other property of the public utility for
7 the purpose of replacement, maintenance, repair or meter
8 reading.
9 (iv) Unauthorized use of the utility service
10 delivered on or about the affected dwelling.
11 (v) Failure to comply with the material terms of a
12 settlement or payment agreement.
13 (vi) Fraud or material misrepresentation of identity
14 for the purpose of obtaining utility service.
15 (vii) Tampering with meters, including, but not
16 limited to, bypassing a meter or removal of an automatic
17 meter reading device or other public utility equipment.
18 (viii) Violating tariff provisions on file with the
19 commission so as to endanger the safety of a person or
20 the integrity of the delivery system of the public
21 utility.
22 (2) Any applicant or customer who is unable to establish
23 creditworthiness to the satisfaction of the public utility
24 through the use of a generally accepted credit scoring
25 methodology which employs standards for using the methodology
26 that fall within the range of general industry practice.
27 (3) A customer who fails to comply with a material term
28 or condition of a settlement or payment agreement.
29 * * *
30 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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