The bill amends Section 39-1.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-1.1, which pertains to the nontermination of utility services for persons who are elderly, disabled, or seriously ill. The bill specifies that the commission shall establish rules to identify individuals protected under the nontermination provisions and outlines the process for relief. It includes a provision that a licensed physician can certify a person as seriously ill, initially by phone, followed by a written certification within seven days. The utility company must acknowledge receipt of this certification and inform the customer of the termination date, which is now set as the last day of the period specified by the physician for the illness duration. If the physician does not specify or cannot ascertain the illness duration, the termination date is extended to not less than three months from the written certification receipt. Customers can arrange payment, request a hearing, or enroll in a payment plan to avoid termination.

The bill also allows for the continuation of the initial exemption if the illness exceeds the specified duration, subject to review and regulations by the commission. Utilities must honor a physician's certification but can seek review on its validity. If a certification is rejected, the utility must inform the customer in writing of the reasons and their right to have the division review the utility's decision. Importantly, nontermination does not absolve the customer of liability for incurred utility services. The act would take effect upon passage and aims to extend forbearance of utility terminations for customers with serious illness certifications, amending various related provisions.

Statutes affected:
2738: 39-1.1-2