A bill to express the sense of Congress regarding the need for a nationwide moratorium on electric and natural gas utility disconnections during the nationwide emergency relating to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Bill: 116-s-4029
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-06-22
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Consumer affairs

Electric power generation and transmission

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Lighting, heating, cooling

Oil and gas

Public utilities and utility rates
Latest action: action_date: 2020-06-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-06-22
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill calls for states and electric or natural gas utilities to place a moratorium on utility disconnections during the emergency relating to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak. In addition, the bill calls for states and utilities to ensure that </p> <ul> <li>reasonable efforts are made to safely reconnect electric and natural gas consumers that have lost service; </li> <li>fees for reconnection services, late fees, and other penalties are waived; and</li> <li> there are no increases in cost-of-service to consumers. </li> </ul>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4029 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 22, 2020 Mr. Markey (for himself, Ms. Warren , Mr. Blumenthal , Ms. Harris , Mr. Wyden , Mrs. Gillibrand , Mr. Merkley , and Mr. Van Hollen ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To express the sense of Congress regarding the need for a nationwide moratorium on electric and natural gas utility disconnections during the nationwide emergency relating to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

1. Sense of Congress regarding the need for a nationwide moratorium on electric and natural gas utility disconnections during the nationwide emergency relating to the spread of the novel coronavirus It is the sense of Congress that, for the duration of the emergency involving Federal primary responsibility determined to exist by the President under section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5191(b) ) with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19), each relevant State regulatory authority and each electric or natural gas utility that sells electric energy or natural gas to a consumer should ensure that— (1) no electric or natural gas service to a consumer is terminated; (2) reasonable efforts are made to safely reconnect electric and natural gas consumers that have lost service; (3) no electric or natural gas consumer is charged for reconnection services; (4) late fees and other penalties are waived for electric and natural gas consumers; and (5) there are no increases in cost-of-service to electric and natural gas consumers.