WEST virginia Legislature

2016 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 4665

By Delegates Hartman, Sponaugle, Campbell, Perry and Lynch

[Introduced February 22, 2016; Referred
to the Committee on Political Subdivisions then Government Organization.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §24-3-11, relating to creating a mandatory grace period for the payment of water and sewer bills.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §24-3-11, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 3. DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES OF PUBLIC UTILITIES SUBJECT TO REGULATIONS OF COMMISSION.

§24-3-11.  Grace period for payment of water and sewer bills.

Any water or sewer facility which is owned or operated by a public or private utility, city, incorporated town, municipal corporation or public service district shall give every customer a thirty-day grace period for payment of the customer’s water and sewer bill before charging a late fee.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require water and sewer facilities to give every customer a thirty-day grace period for payment of their bill before instituting a late fee.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.