An Act To Protect Residential Consumers of Home Heating Fuel
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0355
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: BLISS, BARTLETT, EBERLE, DILL, FLAHERTY, MORRISON
Amends: 10 MRSA §1110, 35-A MRSA §4712

Legislative Document 
No. 355 
S.P.119 
In Senate, February 5, 2009 
An Act To Protect Residential Consumers of Home Heating Fuel 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator BLISS of Cumberland. 
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JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Senator BARTLETT of Cumberland, Representative EBERLE of South 
Portland and 
Representatives: DILL of Cape Elizabeth, FLAHERTY of Scarborough, MORRISON of South 
Portland. 
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Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the ]People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 10 MRSA §1110, slIlb-§I, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 632, §1, is amended 
to read: 
1. Contract and solicitation requirements. A contract for the retail sale of home 
heating oil, kerosene or liquefied petroleum gas that offers a guaranteed price plan, 
including a prepaid contract and any other similar teffii terms, must be in writing and the 
terms and conditions of the price plan must be disclosed. The disclosure of terms and 
conditions must be in plain language, must immediately follow the language concerning 
the price or service that could be affected and must be printed in no less than 12-point 
boldface type of uniform font. A solicitation for the retail sale of home heating oil, 
kerosene or liquefied petroleum gas that offers a guaranteed price plan that could become 
a contract upon a response from a consumer, including a prepaid contract and any other 
similar teffii terms, must be in writing and the terms and conditions of that offer must be 
disclosed in plain language. A contract under this section must include a conspicuous 
cancellation clause in no less than 12-point boldface type of uniform font that clearly 
states the terms and conditions by which a consumer may be released from the 
obligations of the contract, including any fees, penalties, notice provisions and deadlines 
that may apply. 
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §4712 is enacted to read: 
§4712. 
Cancellation notice requirements 
A contract for the retail sale of natural gas that offers a guaranteed price plan, 
including a prepaid contract and any other similar terms, must include a conspicuous 
cancellation clause in no less than 12-point boldface type of uniform font that clearly 
states the terms and conditions by which a consumer may be released from the 
obligations of the contract, including any fees, penalties, notice provisions and deadlines 
that may apply. 
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SUMMARY 
This bill amends. the statutory requirements for price protection and prepaid home 
heating oil, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas contracts to require these 
contracts to include a conspicuous cancellation clause in no less than 12-point boldface 
type of uniform font that clearly states the terms and conditions by which a consumer 
may be released from the obligations of the contract, including any fees, penalties, notice 
provisions and deadlines that may apply. 
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