No Utility Junk Fees Act

This bill would require the U.S. Secretary of Energy to hold back 10 percent of a state's yearly State Energy Program grant unless the state has rules limiting payment fees charged by state-regulated electric utilities to residential customers. To qualify, a state must ban 'spurious charges,' such as payment fees above the greater of 150 percent of the utility's documented processing cost or $3.00, fees on payment methods that cost the utility nothing, and fees not clearly disclosed in advance. States must also require utilities to offer at least one fee-free way to pay that does not need the internet, ban fees on automatic recurring payments and electronic fund transfers, and enforce these rules. Withheld funds would be returned the next year if the state comes into compliance, and states would get 90 days to fix problems before money is withheld.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Eugene Simon Vindman Democrat sponsor
• 0 cosponsors