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Committee advances consumer-protection bill on utility termination for medical emergencies
Summary
The committee advanced Bill 9321 to protect customers with medical emergencies and life-support equipment from utility termination, clarifying that "elderly" is defined as 62 and that documentation from a state-licensed medical professional will be accepted.
The committee advanced legislation aimed at protecting customers who rely on medical equipment from utility service termination.
Clerk read Bill 9321, which would expand protections for elderly, blind and disabled customers and require utilities to accept documentation from a state-licensed medical professional when a customer needs power for medical equipment. Staff told the committee that, for purposes of the bill, "elderly" is defined as 62 or older and that a range of state-licensed professionals could supply documentation; the sponsor and members discussed the difference between "life-support equipment" and current "lifesaving equipment" language.
Senators flagged that the new definition of "serious deterioration of health" could be broadly applied; committee discussion emphasized that the bill is targeted at customers who rely on equipment where energy is necessary to sustain life or prevent serious health decline. The committee moved the bill forward to third reading.
