HB 1610 -- Utilities

Sponsor:  Schoeller

Currently, rate adjustments in the purchase price of natural gas
that are approved by the Missouri Public Service Commission are
exempt from certain provisions relating to business license
taxation.  This bill adds a qualifying provision that any
purchased gas adjustment rate must include the gas cost portion
of net write-offs incurred by the gas company in providing
service to customers.  Any net write-offs may only be recovered
once through purchased gas adjustment rates, and an annual
true-up of the net write-offs is required.  The commission must
annually review gas companies' debt collection efforts to ensure
that they are prudently pursuing collection of the amounts owed
by customers.

The bill also specifies that any attempt to pay, or an actual
payment of, a utility bill will not adversely affect the
assistance that an otherwise eligible household would receive
through the Utilicare Program and removes the requirement that a
household must have its service disconnected for failure to pay
its bill before being eligible for assistance.

Electric or gas companies must allow customers who incur an
arrearage during the cold weather rule period to retain service
by paying one-third of the arrearage, plus the current bill, in
each of the three months following the cold weather rule period.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:11 pm