An Act to Prohibit Persons from Providing Incentives to Customers for Opting Out of Paper Billing
Summary
LD 1180 would change Maine law governing billing statements by electronic record versus paper form. Under current law, a customer cannot be penalized or charged a fee for choosing electronic billing instead of paper billing, and a person may offer an incentive for choosing electronic billing. This bill would remove that incentive option and instead prohibit a person from offering incentives to customers for opting out of paper billing, while also continuing to bar fees or penalties for that choice.
The bill also directs the Attorney General to adopt routine technical rules to implement the new requirements. In practical terms, the measure would affect businesses and other entities that send bills to customers, limiting how they may encourage customers to switch from paper statements to electronic delivery. It would preserve customer choice, but narrow the tools available to promote paperless billing.
Impact
The bill would amend Maine’s existing electronic billing statute by eliminating the ability of a person to offer incentives for customers to receive bills electronically rather than in paper form, while keeping in place the prohibition on fees or penalties for opting out of paper billing. It would also require the Attorney General to adopt routine technical rules, which would provide administrative guidance for implementation and enforcement. The primary parties affected would be businesses, utilities, landlords, financial service providers, and other billers that use paper and electronic statement delivery.
Sentiment
No committee transcript or recorded vote information is available in the provided materials, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition from debate. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears consumer-protective in that it preserves a customer’s ability to choose paper billing without penalty or added cost. At the same time, it is more restrictive for businesses because it removes a marketing tool—financial incentives—for encouraging paperless billing.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely to be whether businesses should be allowed to use incentives to encourage electronic billing. Supporters would likely frame the bill as protecting consumer choice and preventing pressure on customers to abandon paper statements. Opponents would likely argue that incentives help reduce printing and mailing costs, encourage environmentally friendly paperless billing, and should remain available as a voluntary option. The bill does not appear to create a new fee or penalty issue; rather, it narrows the permissible ways billers can influence customer billing preferences.
Prohibits use of paper receipts containing bisphenol-A or bisphenol-S; provides for phased-in prohibition on use of all paper receipts; authorizes continued use of electronic receipts.