AN ACT relating to utility disconnection protections.
HB 377 would create new utility disconnection protections for residential customers in Kentucky. The bill prohibits utilities from disconnecting service during periods when the National Weather Service forecasts extreme cold or extreme heat within the next 72 hours, and it also bars disconnection for 30 days when a physician, physician assistant, community-based service program, or faith-based service program certifies that loss of service would threaten the health or safety of the household. In addition, a customer facing nonpayment disconnection could avoid termination by making a partial payment of the lesser of 10% of the accrued balance or $200 and entering into a payment plan.
The bill also adds procedural safeguards around shutoffs. It requires a separate final written notice at least 14 days before termination, with prominent formatting and a toll-free number for help with payment plans, bill disputes, assistance programs, and certificates of need. It limits nonpayment disconnections to weekday business hours and generally bars them on weekends and holidays, while allowing same-day or next-day reconnection in certain hardship cases. Late fees and reconnection fees would be waived in specified hardship situations, and the Public Service Commission would be directed to adopt regulations to implement the new rules.
The bill’s impact on state law would be to add a new section to KRS Chapter 278 governing utility shutoffs for residential service. It would directly affect utilities regulated under Kentucky law, residential customers, and the Public Service Commission, which would gain rulemaking responsibility over certificates of need, hardship reconnection orders, and related procedures. The measure would likely increase consumer protections and impose additional notice, timing, and reconnection obligations on utilities.
The general sentiment reflected by the bill text is strongly protective of customers, especially households facing extreme weather or medical hardship. Although there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, the structure of the bill suggests a consumer- and public-health-oriented approach aimed at preventing dangerous utility shutoffs and reducing barriers to reconnection. The main points of contention would likely involve the operational and financial burden on utilities, the administrative complexity of verifying hardship claims, and whether the payment thresholds and reconnection requirements strike the right balance between customer protection and utility collection practices.
HB 377 would amend Kentucky utility law by creating a new residential disconnection-protection framework in KRS Chapter 278. It would restrict when utilities may terminate service, require enhanced notice, create hardship-based suspension and reconnection rights, and authorize the Public Service Commission to promulgate implementing regulations. The bill would affect regulated utilities, residential customers, and PSC enforcement and rulemaking.
No committee discussion or votes are provided, so there is no recorded debate to gauge directly. Based on the bill’s provisions, the measure appears to have a pro-consumer, public-health-oriented sentiment, emphasizing protection from shutoffs during dangerous weather and for medically vulnerable households. The likely support would come from consumer advocates, health-related service providers, and hardship assistance organizations, while utilities may be more cautious because of the added compliance and revenue-collection constraints.
The likely areas of contention are the mandatory limits on disconnections during extreme temperatures, the use of certificates of need from medical and community providers, and the requirement to restore service quickly after partial payment. Utilities may object to the administrative burden, potential abuse or verification issues, and lost fee revenue from waived late and reconnection charges. Supporters would likely argue that the bill prevents unsafe shutoffs, improves notice and access to assistance, and gives struggling households a realistic path to maintain or restore service.