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Committee reviews 'Vermont Energy Equity Law' to track disconnections and expand medical protections
Summary
Members reviewed H.753, which would require the commissioner of public service to produce an annual assessment of involuntary residential utility disconnections, direct the PUC to adopt rules limiting heat-period disconnections and clarify medical-certification procedures for protection periods.
The committee considered H.753, described in the hearing as the Vermont Energy Equity Law, which would direct the commissioner of public service to conduct an annual assessment of involuntary residential electric and gas disconnections using utilities’ monthly disconnection reports. A committee member said the assessment is intended to give policymakers data needed to monitor trends and safeguard ratepayers.
Under the bill, the assessment must consider monthly PUC reports that include the number of disconnection notices, actual disconnections, reconnections within 15 days, repayment plans entered and broken, and delinquency dollar amounts. The department would review these data and other consumer-assistance records and report findings and recommendations to the standing committee by Jan. 15, 2027.
Section 3 would require the PUC to adopt rules on or before Jan. 1, 2028 (or upon initiation of rulemaking) that could curtail electric disconnections during periods of extreme heat and allow a lower threshold for households with residents 62 or older, mirroring winter-disconnection protections. The bill would also broaden who may certify a health hazard for disconnection protection: certified physician assistants and nurse practitioners may issue the certificate, and the bill would require that medical judgment about the duration of a health hazard be considered when establishing protection periods.
Committee members discussed whether duration decisions should be case-by-case and whether rule language should require specific information in medical certifications. Members said they would invite utilities (including independent small providers) and the Public Service Department to provide technical input and explain how carrier-of-last-resort obligations and fees such as the universal service charge might be affected.
No vote was taken. The committee planned to summon the PUC, utilities and small telephone providers such as Franklin Telephone and to invite the 911 board to clarify overlaps with emergency-service access.
