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VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- 2024 RECONVENED SESSION CHAPTER 824 An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 21 of Title 15.2 an article numbered 2.1, consisting of sections numbered 15.2-2121.1, 15.2-2121.2, and 15.2-2121.3, by adding in Chapter 3.2 of Title 44 a section numbered 44-146.29:4, and by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 56 sections numbered 56-245.1:3 and 56-245.1:4, relating to public utilities;
RECONVENED SESSION REENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY –– CHAPTER R An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 21 of Title 15.2 an article numbered 2.1, consisting of sections numbered 15.2-2121.1, 15.2-2121.2, and 15.2-2121.3, by adding in Chapter 3.2 of Title 44 a section numbered 44-146.29:4, and by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 56 sections numbered 56-245.1:3 and 56-245.1:4, relating to public utilities;
municipal utilities;
municipal utilitiNs;
[H 906] Approved April 17, 2024 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
R O Approved [H 906] L Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
L 1.
That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 21 of Title 15.2 an article numbered 2.1, consisting of sections numbered 15.2-2121.1, 15.2-2121.2, and 15.2-2121.3, by adding in Chapter 3.2 of Title 44 a section numbered 44-146.29:4, and by adding in Article 2 of Chapter of Title 56 sections numbered 56-245.1:3 and 5Article 2.1.
That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 21 of Title 15.2 an article E numbered 2.1, consisting of sections numbered 15.2-2121.1, 15.2-2121.2, and 15.2-2121.3, by adding in Chapter 3.2 of Title 44 a section numbered 44-146.29:4, and by adding in Article 2 of ChapteD 10 of Title 56 sections numbered 56-245.1:3 and 56-245.1:4 as follows:
follows:
No electric utility shall disconnect from service any residential customer for the nonpayment of bills or fees (i) when the forecasted temperature low is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled disconnection or (ii) when the forecasted temperature is at or above 92 degrees Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled disconnection.
No electric utility shall disconnect from service any residential customer for the nonHayment of bills or fees (i) when the forecasted temperature low is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit with9n the 24 degrees Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled disconnection.rature is at or ab6ve 92 2.
2.
No gas utility shall disconnect from service any residential customer for nonpayment of bRlls or fees when the forecasted temperature low is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled disconnection.
No gas utility shall disconnect from service any residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees when the forecasted temperature low is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled disconnection.
4.
the forecasted local temperature provided by the National Weather Service where the customer to befer to disconnected is located.
To ascertain the projected temperature as provided in this subsection, each utility shall refer to the forecasted local temperature provided by the National Weather Service where the customer to be disconnected is located.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit utilities from voluntarily suspending scheduled disconnections during other extreme weather events, emergency conditions, or circumstances in which a utility determines such suspension is necessary to protect the health and safety of its customers and the reliability of utility service in the Commonwealth.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit utilities from voluntarily suspending scheduled disconnections during other extreme weather events, emergency conditions, or circumstances in which a utility determines such suspension is necessary to protect the health and safety of its customers and the prohibit (i) a disconnection required by the conditions of subdivision A 8 of § 56-247.1, (ii) emergencyto disconnections for health and safety purposes, or (iii) the occurrence of an automatic service suspension associated with prepaid utility service.
Further, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit (i) a disconnection required by the conditions of subdivision A 8 of § 56-247.1, (ii) emergency disconnections for health and safety purposes, or (iii) the occurrence of an automatic service suspension associated with prepaid utility service.
Each utility subject to the provisions of this article shall provide to each of its residential customers a copy of its disconnection for nonpayment policy (i) at any time a new residential account is established, (ii) when any disconnection for nonpayment of bills or fees is scheduled by including a copy of the policy with such notice, or (iii) by publishing the disconnection policy on the utility's website.
Each utility subject to the provisions of this article shall provide to each of its residential customers a copy of its disconnection for nonpayment policy (i) at any time a new residential account is of the policy with such notice, or (iii) by publishing the disconnection policy on the utility's website.
Utility disconnections due to the nonpayment of bills or fees are prohibited for residential customers until the customer's account is 45 days in arrears.
Utility disconnections due to the nonpayment of bills or fees are prohibited for residential provide notice pursuant to subsection B and make contact with the customer and offer bill paymentity shall assistance, arrange a payment plan, or provide information to the customer for other bill payment of 3 assistance or energy savings programs.
After each missed payment, the utility shall provide notice pursuant to subsection B and make contact with the customer and offer bill payment assistance, arrange a payment plan, or provide information to the customer for other bill payment assistance or energy savings programs.
No electric or gas utility shall require a deposit of more than 25 percent of the arrearage amount of 3 for service, exclusive of nonpayment fees, penalties, or interest, in order to restore service to any residential customer where such utility received funding from the Department of Social Services for such customer through the Home Energy Assistance Program pursuant to § 63.2-805 within the last 12 months.
No electric or gas utility shall require a deposit of more than 25 percent of the arrearage amount for service, exclusive of nonpayment fees, penalties, or interest, in order to restore service to any residential customer where such utility received funding from the Department of Social Services for such customer through the Home Energy Assistance Program pursuant to § 63.2-805 within the last 12 months.
That the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) may, in its discretion, direct a utility subject to the Commission's jurisdiction and the provisions of §§ 44-146.29:4 and 56-245.1:3 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, to extend or otherwise modify a suspension or limitation on disconnecting service to residential customers beyond the time periods prescribed by this act (i) if the Commission finds such extension or modification to be necessary or in the public interest and (ii) provided that any such modification does not shorten the disconnection suspension under § 44-146.29:4 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, to a time period of less than 30 days.
That the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) may, in its discretion, direct a utility subject to the Commission's jurisdiction and the provisions of §§ 44-146.29:4 and 56-245.1:3 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, to extend or otherwise modify a suspension or limitation of 3 on disconnecting service to residential customers beyond the time periods prescribed by this act (i) and (ii) provided that any such modification does not shorten the disconnection suspension under § 44-146.29:4 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, to a time period of less than 30 days.
Prior to issuing any such extension or modification, the Commission shall convene a stakeholder of 3 meeting to seek input from utility representatives, interested parties, and customers to inform such decision and determine whether such decision is in the public interest.
meeting to seek input from utility representatives, interested parties, and customers to inform such decision and determine whether such decision is in the public interest.
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