H 8427Public Services

Public Utilities and Carriers - Regulatory Powers of Administration

This bill requires gas companies to provide customers with a single bill containing a visual breakdown of all charges.

Held for study

Population
Affected

Introduced Apr 10, 2026Committee House Corporations

Plain-English Summary

This bill requires gas companies to clearly show specific information on customer bills. The bill must include a visual illustration, like a chart or graph, breaking down the costs into categories such as the amount of gas used, distribution costs, taxes, customer charges, conservation costs, and fees that support low-income customers. Gas companies must also issue a single bill for gas service to all customers. A state division will review and approve the format of these bills to ensure they meet these requirements.

For younger readers

This bill makes rules for the bills that gas companies send to homes. It says that gas companies must show a picture, like a pie chart, on the bill so people can easily see exactly what they are paying for. The picture has to show how much money goes to the actual gas, taxes, delivering the gas, and other fees. The gas company also has to put everything on just one bill instead of sending multiple bills to the same person.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Gas distribution companiesResidential gas customersCommercial gas customersLow-income gas customers

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely. The bill regulates commercial speech and utility operations, which falls well within the state's standard regulatory authority over public utilities. It does not infringe upon protected free speech, due process, or protection from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Estimated cost

None

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Increases corporate transparency by requiring utility monopolies to clearly break down their charges, helping consumers understand exactly what they are paying for.
Ensures regulatory oversight by granting a state division the authority to approve or deny the billing format, preventing deceptive or confusing billing practices.
Explicitly lists charges that support low-income customers and conservation efforts, promoting visibility for these important equity and environmental programs.
Highlighting the specific costs of low-income support programs on every customer's bill could generate public resentment or conservative backlash against vital social safety nets.
Singling out "conservation costs" as a distinct line item may provoke political opposition to essential environmental and climate-friendly initiatives.
The bill only addresses the formatting of utility bills and does not actually lower costs or provide new protections for vulnerable customers facing utility shutoffs.

For Conservatives

Increases transparency by explicitly showing ratepayers exactly how much they are forced to pay for government-mandated low-income support programs.
Clearly identifies the specific costs of environmental conservation programs, allowing consumers to see the financial burden of these regulations on their personal finances.
Promotes consumer awareness by breaking down the exact costs of supply, distribution, and taxes, helping customers understand the impact of government-imposed fees.
Imposes new government mandates on private utility businesses by dictating exactly how they must design and format their customer invoices.
Grants an unelected state division arbitrary authority to approve or deny a company's chosen billing format, unnecessarily increasing bureaucratic red tape.
Forces gas companies to spend significant money and resources updating their billing software and systems to include visual illustrations, costs that will likely be passed on to consumers.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 19 additions

SECTION 1. Chapter 39-3 of the General Laws entitled "Regulatory Powers of Administration" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 39-3-37.4. Informational notice on gas bills -- Gas distribution company.

(a) Every gas distribution company that shall charge for the distribution of natural gas to any house, building, tenement, or estate shall conspicuously display upon the bill or statement for any customer the following information:

(1) The total number of therms consumed;

(2) The total cost of distributing the gas to the customer;

(3) The customer charge;

(4) Conservation costs;

(5) All applicable credits;

(6) Charges that support low-income gas customers;

(7) Applicable taxes; and

(8) All other costs, charges, or fees added to the bill or statement.

(b) The gas distribution company shall issue a single bill for gas service to all customers in its service territory.

(c) For purposes of this section, "conspicuously display" means including a visual illustration showing each component of the utility bill and the cost associated with each component including, but not limited to, supply, distribution, ratepayer funded programs and policy, taxes and all other costs. The division shall have the authority to approve or deny the adequacy of the format chosen by the company for compliance with this provision.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.