1. (a)

   1. (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

   2. (2) “Eligible residential customer” means a residential electric or gas customer who is:

      1. (i) employed by the federal or State government or a local government in the State; and
      2. (ii) involuntarily furloughed from work without pay because of a government shutdown, regardless of whether the employee is required to report to work during the furlough.

   3. (3) “Government shutdown” means a government shutdown that:

      1. (i) occurs when government funding is unavailable to operate the governmental activities due to the lack of a legislative appropriation or a continuing resolution; and
      2. (ii) lasts for a period that exceeds 7 consecutive days.

2. (b) A public service company may not terminate electric or gas service to an eligible residential customer for nonpayment on a day that a government shutdown is in effect and for 7 days after the government shutdown has ended if the customer contacts the public service company before the date of termination to:

   1. (1) provide verification that the customer is an employee of the federal, State, or local government affected by the government shutdown; and
   2. (2) enter into a payment plan to pay any outstanding amount on the customer's account after the government shutdown ends.
3. (c) The Commission may adopt regulations to implement this section.

Added by Acts 2019, c. 522, § 1, eff. May 13, 2019.