H7412 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- REGULATORY POWERS OF ADMINISTRATION (Requires a natural gas and electric utility company to read the meters of all ratepayers on a quarterly basis. The utility would be required to provide a formula, used to create estimated bills, to the PUC in order to send estimated bills.)

Energy

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Kislak
Last action: 2026-03-20
Official status: Withdrawn at sponsor's request
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- REGULATORY POWERS OF ADMINISTRATION (Requires a natural gas and electric utility company to read the meters of all ratepayers on a quarterly basis. The utility would be required to provide a formula, used to create estimated bills, to the PUC in order to send estimated bills.)

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- REGULATORY POWERS OF ADMINISTRATION (Requires a natural gas and electric utility company to read the meters of all ratepayers on a quarterly basis.

What This Bill Does

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- REGULATORY POWERS OF ADMINISTRATION (Requires a natural gas and electric utility company to read the meters of all ratepayers on a quarterly basis.
The utility would be required to provide a formula, used to create estimated bills, to the PUC in order to send estimated bills.)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-20 Rhode Island General Assembly
Withdrawn at sponsor's request
2026-01-30 Rhode Island General Assembly
Introduced, referred to House Corporations

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- REGULATORY POWERS OF ADMINISTRATION (Requires a natural gas and electric utility company to read the meters of all ratepayers on a quarterly basis. The utility would be required to provide a formula, used to create estimated bills, to the PUC in order to send estimated bills.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H7412

2026 -- H 7412
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LC004661
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- REGULATORY POWERS OF
ADMINISTRATION

Introduced By:
Representative Rebecca M. Kislak

Date Introduced:
January 30, 2026

Referred To:
House Corporations
(by request)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 39-3 of the General Laws entitled "Regulatory Powers of
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Administration" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
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39-3-37.4. Electric and gas meter reading required quarterly.

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(a) Every electric and natural gas distribution public utility shall read, record and update
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utility billing on quarterly scheduled intervals. Bills shall be forwarded promptly.
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(b) A utility company which estimates bills shall file with the PUC a current, simple, clear
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and concise statement of their formula used in preparing estimated bills.
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(1) Estimated bills for ratepayers shall consist of charges for utility services calculated in
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accordance with the formula approved by the PUC.
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(2) Estimated bills may be submitted to ratepayers for months when the quarterly reading
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is not scheduled or conducted.
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(c) In the event the utility fails to read the meter on a quarterly basis, they shall not demand,
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collect or require payment of any balance in excess of the amount required by the prior estimated
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monthly bills. Any amount otherwise due for use in excess of the estimated monthly bill shall be
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forfeited for any period in which the electric or natural gas distribution utility failed to read the
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ratepayer's meter.

1
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC004661
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- REGULATORY POWERS OF
ADMINISTRATION
***
1
This act would require a natural gas and electric utility company to read the meters of all
2
ratepayers on a quarterly basis. The utility would be required to provide a formula, used to create
3
estimated bills, to the PUC in order to send estimated bills.
4
This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC004661
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LC004661 - Page 3 of 3