WASHINGTON: LOW INCOME FAMILIES GET HEAT RECONNECTED

          HARRISBURG, December 5 – State Senator Leanna M. Washington said today that she is fearful that thousands of low-income families whose utilities were terminated prior to the start of the moratorium on shut offs on December 1 will resort to dangerous methods to stay warm if the legislature does not act expeditiously on legislation she has co-sponsored.

          “There are less than two weeks left for us to do something to avert the catastrophe that is looming across this Commonwealth,” Washington said.  “I am urging the legislature to act responsibly and help these families before any disaster occurs.”

          Senator Washington is the co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1005 that would allow low income families whose utility services have already been disconnected to have them reconnected for a reasonably fee.

          The bill states that a public utility may charge no more than a $50 reconnection fee and no more than a $100 security deposit, an affordable program to pay off arrearages, as a condition of reconnecting utility service to any customer or applicant with a household income at or below 250% of the Federal poverty level.

          “Before we can move forward we have to look back to all those low income families whose utility services were terminated earlier in the year,” Washington said.  “They do not have heat now. I don’t want to see these families resort to dangerous methods that could start fires. I don’t want to see anyone die.”

          Washington also announced the introduction of legislation requiring utilities to do a better job of providing notice of customer assistance programs for low-income families.

          “This legislation will help existing customers who are in arrears,” Washington explained. “If you are in arrears and low-income then the utility should inform you about customer assistance programs.” 

           She said public utilities would be required to identify that person who is income-eligible for customer assistance programs so as to avoid a notice of termination of service.