An Act To Amend Titles 22 And 26 Of The Delaware Code Relating To The Termination Of Utility Services.
HB62 revises Delaware’s rules for terminating utility service to dwelling units, applying to gas, water, wastewater, and electricity under Title 26 and to electric companies and municipal electric companies under Title 22. The bill strengthens notice requirements before shutoff, requires voluntary third-party notification programs, and limits when service may be disconnected. It generally bars termination outside weekday daytime hours, during the December 21 to January 1 holiday period, and on certain extreme-weather days, including when temperatures are 35°F or below or when the heat index may reach 95°F or higher for electric service.
The bill also expands protections for households with a medically ill occupant by allowing service to be deferred when termination would adversely affect health or recovery, if supported by a licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced nurse practitioner. Those medical certifications last 120 days and may be renewed if the customer makes a good-faith effort to pay. For utilities regulated by the Delaware Public Service Commission, the bill allows disputes to be reviewed by the Commission and requires continued service while a dispute is pending. It also requires notices to include information about payment arrangements, dispute rights, and assistance programs such as LIHEAP.
HB62 would amend Title 26, section 117, and Title 22, section 1319 of the Delaware Code to impose more detailed consumer protections before utility shutoffs. It adds or clarifies notice, contact, weather-based deferral, medical hardship, and dispute-resolution requirements, and it authorizes civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation, with each day treated as a separate violation. The bill also makes violations misdemeanors under Title 26 and requires contracting municipalities that use municipal electric companies to adopt enforcement regulations and ordinances under Title 22. The act takes effect 90 days after enactment.
The voting history suggests broad legislative support for the bill. It passed the House on third reading by a 28-12 vote and the Senate on third reading unanimously, 19-0. The absence of committee transcript material limits direct insight into debate, but the final votes indicate the measure was generally viewed favorably as a consumer-protection and utility-shutoff reform bill.
The main points of potential contention are the added operational burdens on utilities and municipalities versus the expanded protections for customers. Utilities may be affected by stricter timing limits, additional contact attempts, weather-based shutoff bans, and mandatory continued service during disputes, while municipal electric systems must adopt enforcement rules and face civil penalties. On the other side, supporters appear to prioritize preventing shutoffs during dangerous weather, protecting medically vulnerable residents, and ensuring customers receive more notice and access to payment assistance before losing essential services.