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Bill 3304

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      3304
Type of Legislation:              General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                 House
Introduced Date:                  19990119
Primary Sponsor:                  Easterday
All Sponsors:                     Easterday
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\dka\3140mm99.doc
Residing Body:                    Senate
Current Committee:                Judiciary Committee 11 SJ
Date of Last Amendment:           19990311
Subject:                          Public Service Commission, unauthorized 
                                  change of customer's utility service provider 
                                  prohibited; Public utilities


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
Senate  19990316  Introduced, read first time,           11 SJ
                  referred to Committee
House   19990312  Read third time, sent to Senate
House   19990311  Read second time, unanimous
                  consent for third reading on 
                  Friday, 19990312
House   19990311  Amended
House   19990310  Committee report: Favorable with       26 HLCI
                  amendment
House   19990119  Introduced, read first time,           26 HLCI
                  referred to Committee


                             Versions of This Bill
Revised on March 10, 1999 - Word format
Revised on March 11, 1999 - Word format

AMENDED

March 11, 1999

H. 3304

S. Printed 3/11/99--H.

Read the first time January 19, 1999.

TO AMEND TITLE 58, CHAPTER 3, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, BY ADDING SECTION 58-3-230 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE UNAUTHORIZED CHANGE OF A CUSTOMER'S UTILITY SERVICE PROVIDER AND TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES.

Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 58-3-230. (A) An entity may not change or initiate a change in a customer's utility provider, as defined in Sections 58-5-10, 58-9-10, and 58-27-10, without the customer's authorization. Customer authorization must be acquired utilizing marketing or anti-slamming guidelines approved by state and federal agencies.

(B) An entity which violates subsection (A) is liable to the customer for all charges incurred by the customer, in excess of those normally incurred through his designated provider, during the period of the unauthorized change.

(C) An entity which wilfully or knowingly changes, without authority, or initiates an unauthorized change of a customer's utility provider is subject to a fine of not less than five hundred dollars and not more than two thousand five hundred dollars for each violation. The fines must remain with the commission."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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