SENATE BILL No. 1468

 

 

September 20, 2006, Introduced by Senators THOMAS, BRATER, PRUSI, LELAND, WHITMER, CHERRY, OLSHOVE, SCHAUER and EMERSON and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

 

     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 460.10cc) by adding section 9d.

 


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 9d. (1) If a customer has failed to fulfill an obligation

 

to a natural gas or electric utility, the utility may shut off

 

service to the customer on, or at a reasonable time following, the

 

date specified in a notice delivered to the customer by personal

 

service or first-class mail.

 

     (2) If the natural gas or electric utility does not shut off

 

service as allowed under subsection (1), the utility shall not shut

 

off service until it has provided a subsequent notice to the

 

customer providing a new date for shutoff.

 

     (3) The notice required under subsection (1) or (2) shall be

 

delivered to the customer not less than 30 days before the

 

specified date for shutoff.

 

     (4) Shutoff of service under this section shall occur only

 

between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and shall not occur on a

 

day, or a day immediately preceding a day, when the natural gas or

 

electric utility is unable to restore service to the customer.

 

     (5) If the obligation of the customer is in dispute, the

 

natural gas or electric utility shall not shut off service until

 

the dispute is resolved.

 

     (6) In no event shall the utility shut off service between the

 

time period of December 1 to March 31.