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S3125ARights & Warranties

Public Utilities and Carriers - Regulatory Powers of Administration

This bill requires gas companies to include a clear visual breakdown of all costs and charges on customer bills.

Introduced37 Yea1 Nay0 Not voting
Population
Affected
72
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 20, 2026Committee Senate Commerce

Plain-English Summary

This bill requires gas distribution companies to clearly show specific information on customer bills. The bill must include a visual illustration breaking down the costs for the total gas consumed, distribution, customer charges, conservation programs, low-income support, taxes, and any other fees or credits. Gas companies must issue a single bill for all customers and work with state regulators to design the format. A temporary version of this detailed bill must be ready within six months, with the final version implemented within three years.

For younger readers

When your family gets a bill for using natural gas to heat your house or cook, this new rule says the gas company has to make the bill very easy to read. They have to include a picture or chart that shows exactly what you are paying for. It will show how much gas you used, the cost to deliver it to your house, taxes, and any other fees. They have to start doing this with a temporary picture in six months, and make a final perfect version in three years.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Gas customersGas distribution companiesLow-income gas customersUtility regulators
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely. Regulating the commercial speech and billing formats of public utilities is a standard consumer protection practice and does not violate the First Amendment.

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Increases corporate transparency by forcing gas utility monopolies to clearly explain all charges and fees, preventing hidden costs that disproportionately impact vulnerable households.
  • Specifically highlights charges that support low-income gas customers, promoting awareness of social safety net programs and community welfare initiatives.
  • Mandates a visual illustration of costs, making utility bills more accessible and easier to understand for all residents, including those with lower literacy or language barriers.
  • Highlighting the specific charges that support low-income gas customers might trigger resentment from other ratepayers, potentially undermining public support for these crucial safety net programs.
  • Explicitly itemizing "conservation costs" could similarly politicize environmental and energy-efficiency programs, giving opponents ammunition to attack green initiatives.
  • Gives gas companies up to three years to fully implement the final revised billing system, which is a long delay for delivering basic consumer transparency.
For Conservatives
  • Enhances consumer transparency by clearly exposing every tax, fee, and government-mandated program hidden in utility bills, allowing ratepayers to see exactly where their money goes.
  • Explicitly itemizing costs for "conservation" and "low-income" programs exposes the financial burden of progressive social and environmental policies on everyday consumers.
  • Empowers individuals to hold government and utility monopolies accountable by requiring a visual breakdown of the true cost of energy distribution and regulatory compliance.
  • Imposes new government regulations and mandates on private gas distribution companies, dictating exactly how they must format and design their billing statements.
  • Requires companies to consult with a government division to develop their bill format, increasing bureaucratic meddling in private business operations.
  • Forcing companies to create temporary and final visual illustrations of billing components will likely increase administrative and software costs for the utility, which could ultimately be passed on to consumers.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

2 versions
Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 23 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 gas distribution company shall consult with the division in the development of the bill format.

(d) Any utility bill that requires a revision to comply with the provisions of this section may be implemented no later than three (3) years following the passage of this act; provided further, a temporary version of the utility bill with the conspicuous display shall be implemented no later than six (6) months following the passage of this act.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.