Twenty-four Democratic and Republican legislators in Harrisburg apparently think that early December is a great time to vote to kill a bill to help make sure everyone has access to utilities, including heat. The vote was 24 to 5.

Access to utilities is a basic, fundamental need. That's why in the 1970s, legal services lawyers across the country argued that people have constitutional due process rights related to their utility service. Courts agreed. You have rights in gas and electric and water service, including the right to adequate notice of termination.

However, Pennsylvania legislators were concerned that utility customers were 'gaming the system' and getting utilities that they weren't paying for. They passed Act 201 in 2004 to fix that, and make ultility termination easier when poor people fall behind on their bills. Since the act passed, "Pennsylvania has seen a 38% rise in annual residential service terminations and a 39% rise in homes using potentially unsafe heating sources in winter."

A new bill has been proposed, HB 824, which would "remedy oppressive security deposits for utilities, ease fees for reconnection, create requirements that low-income families be informed of supportive programs and grants, increase payment agreement time frames, among other safe and humane changes." Check out details of the bill here.

It was voted down in committee two days ago, with many Democrats joining the Republicans in the majority. Here's their rationale, as reported by David DeKok of the Patriot News:

Chairman Joseph Preston, D-Allegheny, prime sponsor of the bill, blamed "industry lobbying" for the defection of Democrats on the bill. He vowed to start over in January and come up with a new bill to reform Chapter 14.

Among Democrats opposing bill was Rep. Ron Buxton, whose district is composed of Harrisburg and Steelton. Buxton said he voted "no" because "I was convinced that there were enough safeguards in place." He also said legislators hadn't had enough time to digest the many changes H.B. 824 would have made in Chapter 14 because many of them didn't attend the one hearing on the bill held in Pittsburgh in October.

He said a chart showing the income levels of people who qualify for assistance was passed out by Republicans this morning. "We need to get the word out to people that programs are available to assist them with their energy bills," he said.

Minority chairman Robert W. Godshall, R-Montgomery, who urged the bill's defeat, said the committee needs to look out for the interests of all of Pennsylvania "rather than a special case here and there."

There's a letter you can sign in support of HB 824, as well as information about who to contact to show your support, in another blog entry of mine. Tell your Democratic legislators that access to utilities is something that benefits all Pennsylvanians. Restrictive legislation supported by industrial lobbying groups is not.