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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. W. Curtis Thomas |
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Thomas frustrated by utility protection bill’s failure
HARRISBURG, Dec. 6 – Calling it a disgrace, state Rep. W. Curtis Thomas spoke out Wednesday about the lack of support shown for H.B. 824 in the House Consumer Affairs Committee this week.
Thomas, who held a news conference on Monday urging support for the legislation, said that a 2004 state law known as Act 201 dealing with consumer protection and information regarding utility services has had unintended negative consequences for many Pennsylvanians, and that H.B. 824 would have addressed many of those negative impacts.
The legislation, which the Consumer Affairs Committee failed to endorse this week, was introduced by state Rep. Joe Preston, D-Allegheny, chairman of the committee. The legislation would have put utility companies and their consumers on a more even footing, Thomas said.
Passage of H.B. 824 would have made it more difficult for utility companies to terminate utility services without prior notice, reject the application of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program crisis grants for delinquent utility bills, charge excessive fees for reconnection and new service, and hold landlords responsible for nonpayment of utilities by consumers.
“Legislators who voted for Act 201 in 2004 never intended to have utility terminations increase by 38 percent,” Thomas said. “The original intent of Act 201 was to catch bad actors -- people who could pay and should pay, but wouldn’t pay for utilities.
“The committee's failure to adopt H.B. 824 simply puts more Pennsylvanians at risk for another winter.”
Thomas said in Philadelphia alone there are more than 9,000 people without utility service. Statewide, 17,000 people are without utility services. A majority of people without heat could have had their heat restored during the winter months under the provisions of H.B. 824, Thomas said.
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CONTACT: Nicole Reigelman |