H-3927.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2261
State of Washington
64th Legislature
2016 Regular Session
By House Technology & Economic Development (originally sponsored by Representatives Shea, Reykdal, Taylor, Scott, and Van Werven)
READ FIRST TIME 01/29/16.
AN ACT Relating to protecting utility customers by modifying the authority of utilities to backbill customers for charges missed due to utility error; adding a new section to chapter 19.29A RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that large retroactive utility bills may impose undue hardship on residential customers, particularly those living on low and fixed incomes. The legislature intends to limit the period of time for which a consumer-owned utility may issue a corrected bill when the billing error is attributable to circumstances within the utility's control.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 19.29A RCW to read as follows:
(1) A consumer-owned utility may not collect amounts underbilled due to a billing error of the consumer-owned utility for any period greater than six months from the date the billing error occurred.
(2) For purposes of this section "billing error" means error arising from: (a) Nonregistering, incorrectly registering, or crossed meters; (b) other faulty equipment; and (c) administrative error, including incorrect meter reads, clerical errors, incorrect billing calculations, and application of an incorrect daily billing factor.
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