Committee considers H.753 revisions to require PUC rulemaking on heat-related disconnections and annual reporting

Legislative counsel walked the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee through a strike-all draft of H.753 on Feb. 27 that would create an annual reporting requirement on involuntary residential service disconnections and require the Public Utility Commission to adopt rules to protect customers during periods of extreme heat.

Maria Royal of Legislative Counsel read the bill’s report and rulemaking sections, telling the committee: “Commissioner of public service shall conduct an annual assessment of involuntary residential service disconnections.” The draft requires the PUC, on or before Jan. 1, 2028 (or upon initiation of any rulemaking pertaining to PUC 3.300, whichever comes first), to adopt rules to curtail service disconnections during extreme heat, allow physician assistants and nurse practitioners to issue physician certificates under rule 3.301(g), and require due consideration of medical judgment when setting the duration of any health-hazard protection period.

Committee members discussed timing and technical details. Members noted the rules for winter disconnections already include age and temperature thresholds and suggested the summer rulemaking should mirror winter protections while relying on weather data, heat-index measures or other meteorological inputs to define an extreme-heat threshold. Representatives expressed support for giving the PUC a reasonable period to conduct rulemaking rather than rushing the process, while preserving a date certain in statute to ensure the topic receives attention.

The committee asked the Department of Public Service to appear in person later that day and to request written comments from the PUC and Vermont Gas. Members indicated they had enough votes to move the amendment to the floor, contingent on receiving timely written feedback and final editorial changes from legislative counsel.

Next steps: legislative counsel will clean up drafting items and remove internal marks; the committee will solicit written input from the PUC and Vermont Gas and expect DPS to appear in person at a later meeting. A formal floor vote was discussed but not recorded during this session.