The bill establishes a Summer Termination Program aimed at protecting certain residential utility customers from service discontinuation during extreme heat conditions. Specifically, it prohibits local authorities, municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and public utilities from cutting off electric, sewer, or water services to eligible residential customers when the three-day wet bulb globe temperature forecast is expected to reach or exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 hours or more within a 72-hour period. Eligibility for the program is granted to residential customers who either receive assistance under specified programs related to the Winter Termination Program or are unable to pay their utility bills due to financial hardships such as unemployment, illness, or other significant life events.

To facilitate this program, the Department of Community Affairs and the Board of Public Utilities are tasked with establishing the necessary rules and regulations, as well as a self-certification process for customers to declare their inability to pay. This initiative aims to ensure that vulnerable populations are protected from losing essential utility services during periods of extreme heat, thereby promoting public health and safety.