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| PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 28 | PRINTER'S NO. 3427 |
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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY HARPER, BARRAR, B. BOYLE, BRADFORD, BRIGGS, CALTAGIRONE, CHRISTIANA, CLYMER, CONKLIN, FABRIZIO, GABLER, GINGRICH, HAHN, HARHART, HARKINS, HORNAMAN, KILLION, KORTZ, MURT, O'NEILL, PYLE, SANTARSIERO, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SWANGER, TOEPEL, WATSON, YOUNGBLOOD, GIBBONS, KULA, HENNESSEY, MILNE, PRESTON AND BARBIN, JANUARY 19, 2011 |
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| AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MAY 1, 2012 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania |
2 | Consolidated Statutes, in rates and rate making, further |
3 | providing for standby charge prohibited. |
4 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
5 | hereby enacts as follows: |
6 | Section 1. Section 1326(a) 1326 of Title 66 of the | <-- |
7 | Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to read: |
8 | § 1326. Standby charge prohibited. |
9 | (a) Prohibition.--A public utility that furnishes water to |
10 | or for the public shall not impose a standby charge on [owners]: |
11 | (1) Owners of residential structures equipped with |
12 | automatic fire protection systems. |
13 | (2) Volunteer fire companies, nonprofit rescue squads |
14 | and ambulance services, for costs associated with automatic | <-- |
15 | fire protection systems, that are owners or occupants of | <-- |
16 | structures equipped with automatic fire protection systems |
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1 | who are ratepayers of record. |
2 | * * * | <-- |
3 | (a.1) Cost recovery.-- | <-- |
4 | (1) In determining the rates to be charged for automatic |
5 | fire protection systems by a public utility that furnishes |
6 | water to or for the public, the commission shall, as part of |
7 | a utility's general rate proceeding, provide for the recovery |
8 | of the costs of automatic fire protection systems in such a |
9 | manner that the customers specified in subsection (a)(2) are |
10 | not charged for more than 25% of the cost of service for |
11 | those automatic fire protection systems, as such cost of |
12 | service is reasonably determined by the commission. |
13 | (2) The commission shall, as part of a utility's general |
14 | rate proceeding, provide for the recovery of the remaining |
15 | cost of service for those automatic fire protection systems |
16 | not recovered under paragraph (1) from the customers |
17 | specified in subsection (a)(2) by assessing all customers of |
18 | the public utility the remaining cost of service to the fire |
19 | protection systems. The remaining cost of service for those |
20 | fire protection systems shall be included in the public |
21 | utility's fixed or service charge or minimum bill. |
22 | (a.2) Effect on current rates.--Notwithstanding the |
23 | provisions of subsection (a.1), standby charges to volunteer |
24 | fire companies, nonprofit rescue squads and nonprofit ambulance |
25 | services that are in effect on the effective date of this |
26 | subsection shall continue to be charged until conclusion of the |
27 | public utility's next general rate proceeding. |
28 | (b) Definition.--[As used in this section, the term "standby |
29 | charge" means an amount, in addition to the regular rate, |
30 | assessed against the owner of a residential structure for the |
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1 | reason that the residential structure is equipped with an |
2 | automatic fire protection system.] The following words and |
3 | phrases as used in this section shall have the meaning given to |
4 | them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates |
5 | otherwise: |
6 | "Cost of service." The actual water usage and capital |
7 | investment made by a public utility specifically for the purpose |
8 | of rendering fire protection service assessed against the owner |
9 | of a residential or commercial structure for the reason that the |
10 | structure is equipped with an automatic fire protection system. |
11 | "Standby charge." An amount, in addition to the cost of |
12 | service, allocated under subsection (a.1). |
13 | Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. |
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