HB 1435 Summary

• Establishes utility customer assistance program requiring the Office of Energy to create an application process for electric, natural gas, and water utilities to receive funds for providing financial relief to residential customers with past-due bills.

• Mandates participating utilities prohibit service disconnections through December 31, 2021, prioritize assistance to accounts more than 60 days past due, waive reconnection fees for customers disconnected since March 9, 2020, and offer COVID-19 relief repayment plans over 6-24 months without fees or penalties.

• Requires utilities to establish separate COVID-19 customer utility assistance funds, record payments using generally accepted accounting principles, and submit accounting reports to the Governor, legislature, Public Service Commission, and Office of Public Counsel by December 31, 2021.

• Directs utilities to use federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds to provide direct subsidy payments to customers with accounts more than 60 days past due, prioritizing assistance to those accounts before 31-60 day past due accounts.

• Appropriates $100 million to the Office of Energy for direct assistance to residential utility customers with accounts past due since May 9, 2020, with funds transferred within 30 days of enactment; effective July 1, 2021.