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H7612
2026 -- H 7612
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LC003746
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TERMINATION OF SERVICE TO
PERSONS WHO ARE DISABLED, SERIOUSLY ILL, OR IN ARREARS OF PAYMENT
Introduced By:
Representatives Cruz, Stewart, Potter, Morales, McEntee, Giraldo,
Kazarian, Sanchez, Tanzi, and Felix
Date Introduced:
February 11, 2026
Referred To:
House Corporations
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 39-1.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-1.1 entitled "Termination
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of Service to Persons Who Are Disabled, Seriously Ill, or in Arrears of Payment" is hereby amended
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to read as follows:
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39-1.1-2. Determination of persons subject to nontermination.
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(a) The commission shall promulgate appropriate rules and regulations to determine which
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persons who are elderly, disabled, or seriously ill are subject to the nontermination provisions of §
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39-1.1-1, and in what manner relief will be made available to the subject persons.
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(b) Rules and regulations maintained to determine which persons are seriously ill shall
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include the provision that said determination shall be through certification to the public utility or to
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the division of public utilities and carriers by a licensed physician.
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(1) A licensed physician’s certification of serious illness shall be sufficient if initially made
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by telephone. In such event, the public utility or the division, whichever received initial
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certification, shall inform the certifying physician that he or she must forward to the public utility
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within seven (7) days a written certification indicating the name and address of the seriously ill
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person, the nature of the illness, and its likely duration. The public utility shall acknowledge receipt
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of such written certification and shall notify the customer in writing of the date upon which service
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will be terminated, unless the customer: (i) Has arranged for payment of an outstanding amount
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with the public utility, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the commission; (ii)
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Requests a hearing, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the commission; or (iii)
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Enrolls in a residential payment plan or other payment arrangement. The termination date shall be
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not less than
the last day of the period specified by the physician as the duration of the illness. If
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the physician has failed to specify the length of the illness, or if the physician has indicated that the
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length of the illness is not readily ascertainable, then the termination date shall be not less than
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three (3)
weeks
months
from receipt by the public utility of the written certification. If the duration
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of the illness exceeds
three (3) weeks from the certification to the public utility,
the termination
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date,
the customer may request a review pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the
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commission, to determine whether the initial exemption shall continue, for how long, and under
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what circumstances.
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(2) A public utility must honor a licensed physician’s certification of serious illness, but
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may seek division review of the validity of the certification, pursuant to rules and regulations
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promulgated by the commission. If a licensed physician’s certification does not comply with the
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requirements promulgated by the commission and is rejected by a public utility, the public utility
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shall inform the customer immediately, in writing, of the reasons for rejection of the certification
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and the customer’s right to have the division review the utility’s rejection of the certification.
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(3) Nontermination for any reason does not, in any way, relieve the customer of liability
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incurred for utility services.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TERMINATION OF SERVICE TO
PERSONS WHO ARE DISABLED, SERIOUSLY ILL, OR IN ARREARS OF PAYMENT
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This act would extend the forbearance of utility terminations for customers with serious
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illness certifications and would amend various provisions related to the termination of utility
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services for persons who are disabled, seriously ill, or in arrears.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003746
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