IDENTIFYING SENIOR UTILITY CUSTOMERS S.B. 533: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 533 (as introduced 5-5-09)
Sponsor: Senator John J. Gleason
Committee: Energy Policy and Public Utilities


Date Completed: 9-17-09

CONTENT
The bill would amend Public Act 3 of 1939, the Public Service Commission (PSC) law, to require a provider (a municipally owned utility) to make ongoing efforts to identify senior citizen customers by at least one of the following methods:

-- Conducting customer interviews or consumer reporting service.
-- Obtaining information from a consumer reporting agency or consumer reporting service.
-- A personal or automated telephone call where direct contact was made with a member of the customer's household or a message was recorded on an answering machine or voice mail.
-- First-class mail.
-- A personal visit to the customer.
-- A written notice left at or on the customer's door.
-- Any other method approved by the PSC.

("Senior citizen" would mean a customer who is at least 65 years old.)

A provider would have to comply with the bill's requirements by November 1, 2009. Its governing body could grant an extension for compliance.

("Consumer reporting agency" would mean that term as defined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act. That Act defines the term as any person who, for monetary fees, dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, engages regularly in whole or in part in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other information on consumers for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third parties, and who uses any means or facility of interstate commerce for the purpose of preparing or furnishing consumer reports.)


Proposed MCL 460.9o Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Fiscal Analyst: Elizabeth Pratt
Maria Tyszkiewicz

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb533/0910