This winter, who wants heat?

Submitted by jennifer on Fri, 10/26/2007 - 9:44am.

There's a letter of support below for PA House Bill 824. Please sign it. Bill 824 returns crucial due process and other protections that would help prevent unnecessary and unfair utility terminations to low-income people. These have increased substantially under a 2004 law.

It's about to be winter. Clearly time to act.

The new bill would: remedy oppressive security deposits for utilities, ease fees for reconnection, create requirements that low-income families be informed of supportive programs and grants, incrases payment agreement time frames, among other safe and humane changes.

The letter, and information about how to sign on, is below.

Distinguished Members of the House and Senate:

We are writing in support of the provisions of HB 824 which would correct many of the unintended consequences that Act 201 of 2004 has brought on your constituent utility customers. Pennsylvania has seen a 38% rise in annual residential service terminations and a 39% rise in homes using potentially unsafe heating sources in winter since the enactment of Act 201. HB 824 represents a compromise between pre-Act 201 standards and the currently harsh law.

Act 201 had a stated aim of going after those who were trying to “game the system” while seeking “to ensure that service remains available to all customers on reasonable terms and conditions." Many of the terms and conditions imposed by utilities have overstepped that aim, causing families to lose utility service and imposing terms that make restoration of service prohibitive for these families who already struggle mightily to meet their obligations.

The reforms of HB 824 should be implemented before the onset of winter. We urge you to vote in favor of HB 824 as a stand-alone bill or as an amendment to another Title 66 bill that comes before the Assembly.

Sincerely,

AARP
ACORN
Action Alliance for Senior Citizens
ACTION Housing
Community Legal Services (CLS)
The Commission on Economic Opportunity
Community Action Committee of Lehigh Valley
Just Harvest
Mon Valley Unemployed Committee
Office of the Consumer Advocate
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV)
Pennsylvania Utility Law Project (PULP)
Utility Emergency Services Fund