May 5, 2010, Introduced by Reps. Johnson, Durhal and Womack and referred to the Committee on Energy and Technology.
A bill to amend 1939 PA 3, entitled
"An act to provide for the regulation and control of public and
certain private utilities and other services affected with a public
interest within this state; to provide for alternative energy
suppliers; to provide for licensing; to include municipally owned
utilities and other providers of energy under certain provisions of
this act; to create a public service commission and to prescribe
and define its powers and duties; to abolish the Michigan public
utilities commission and to confer the powers and duties vested by
law on the public service commission; to provide for the
continuance, transfer, and completion of certain matters and
proceedings; to abolish automatic adjustment clauses; to prohibit
certain rate increases without notice and hearing; to qualify
residential energy conservation programs permitted under state law
for certain federal exemption; to create a fund; to provide for a
restructuring of the manner in which energy is provided in this
state; to encourage the utilization of resource recovery
facilities; to prohibit certain acts and practices of providers of
energy; to allow for the securitization of stranded costs; to
reduce rates; to provide for appeals; to provide appropriations; to
declare the effect and purpose of this act; to prescribe remedies
and penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,"
(MCL 460.1 to 460.11) by adding section 9d.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 9d. (1) A provider shall not shut off service to an
eligible low-income customer or eligible senior citizen customer
for nonpayment of a delinquent account if that customer pays to the
provider a monthly amount equal to 10% of that customer's monthly
income.
(2) A provider may shut off service to an eligible low-income
customer or senior citizen customer who does not pay the monthly
amounts required under subsection (1) after giving notice in the
manner required by the commission.
(3) As used in this section:
(a) "Eligible low-income customer" means a customer who has
multiple children residing in his or her home, is eligible for food
assistance, or whose household income does not exceed 150% of the
poverty guidelines published annually by the United States
department of health and human services.
(b) "Eligible senior citizen customer" means a customer who is
62 years of age or older.
(c) "Provider" means an electric utility, municipally owned
electric utility, cooperative electric utility, or alternative
electric supplier, or a natural gas utility as defined in section
9.