Stop Shut-Offs During Shutdowns Act

This bill states the sense of Congress that, while funding for the Department of Health and Human Services has lapsed, state regulators and electric and gas utilities should not shut off service for inability to pay, should reconnect customers who lost service at no charge, should waive late fees and penalties, and should not raise cost-of-service. It also amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 so that the required termination procedures bar ending electric service to a consumer during any period when appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services are not in effect. Utilities could not retroactively charge the customers who would have been cut off for the costs of following this rule. A state regulatory authority, after notice and comment, could set up another way for utilities to recover these costs if it finds them substantial, prudently incurred, and not reasonably recoverable through rates, market prices, or supplemental funding.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Edward J. Markey Democrat sponsor
• 5 cosponsors