HB 641: Public utilities; require electric supplier to hold the proposed discontinuation of electrical service to a residential customer who suffers from a serious illness in abeyance for a certain period of time

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Discussed in meetings (11)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

1. House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee, February 10, 2026

   From 0:18:00 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would extend an existing Public Service Commission rule to all electric suppliers, including cooperatives and municipal utilities. The sponsor described a shutoff delay lasting up to one month, with medical documentation required within 10 days, as a minimum protection for seriously ill customers. A supporting customer said a heart pump requires electricity and Griffin Utilities disconnected service despite a scheduled payment, then added reconnection fees. The customer urged uniform protections regardless of address. One member questioned undefined terms such as serious illness and asked how often the existing rule is used and whether unpaid bills are forgiven. The sponsor had no usage figure, welcomed clearer definitions, and described debt relief as case-specific. A representative of electric cooperatives opposed a statewide requirement, favoring elected local boards. The representative said 85% of surveyed cooperatives had policies or handled hardships individually, offered to provide examples, and said unpaid costs fall on other members. Another member favored local ordinances; the sponsor said local appeals had not always worked. A member suggested exempting utilities with adequate policies. No amendment or substitute was offered. The chair held the bill without a vote and requested a substitute addressing those concerns.

2. House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee, February 17, 2026

   From 0:15:06 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a shortened substitute requiring electric suppliers serving residential customers to adopt written policies addressing serious life-threatening conditions beginning January 1, 2027, and provide those policies to current or potential customers on request. The sponsor said these requirements would have helped a customer whose experience prompted the proposal, while leaving utilities free to determine their policies' contents. A committee member said having policies in place would be beneficial. The sponsor said prior testimony indicated most utilities already had such policies, so the substitute should not be burdensome, and thanked Electric Cities of Georgia and electric membership cooperatives for working on it. A witness for Electric Cities of Georgia supported the substitute, saying it would allow local communities familiar with their customers to set policies suited to their circumstances. No substantive questions or opposition were voiced. After a motion and second, the chair declared the motion passed by voice vote. The motion's exact wording was not stated.

3. House Rules Committee, February 19, 2026

   From 0:37:12 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute for HB 641 would require electric utilities serving residential customers to maintain a disconnection policy for people with serious, life-threatening conditions and provide it upon request. The sponsor said Georgia Power, Georgia EMCs and the electric cities were comfortable with the bill. There were no questions or vote.

4. House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, PM, part 2)

   From 1:25:10 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2158

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 641 would require electric suppliers to maintain written disconnection policies for residential customers with serious, life-threatening conditions that electricity loss could worsen, and provide those policies on request. The sponsor described an advocate whose heart-assist device needed electricity and said Georgia Power, Georgia EMC and Electric Cities of Georgia supported the bill. Asked about mounting unpaid balances, the sponsor said the bill does not require payment relief, leaving that to suppliers, but could encourage payment plans and assistance referrals. The sponsor confirmed that the measure could help people charging medical equipment or refrigerating medicine. Asked whether mental illness qualifies, the sponsor said the substitute leaves suppliers discretion to define qualifying conditions rather than imposing one policy on every utility. The House adopted the committee substitute and passed the bill 134-28.

5. House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026

   From 0:43:52 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2139

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 641 on the day’s supplemental floor calendar under modified structure following a motion and second, with no opposition stated. No substantive discussion occurred.

6. Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee, March 17, 2026

   From 1:47:16 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute would require electric suppliers to maintain written disconnection policies for residential customers whose life-threatening conditions could worsen without electricity, and provide those policies on request. The sponsor said an earlier version extended Georgia Power’s existing 30-day protection to other suppliers, but utility feedback led to removing specific policy requirements. Members asked about unpaid bills, misuse, deadlines and whether suppliers could treat all customers alike. The sponsor said payments would remain due, suppliers could set safeguards and deadlines, and an equal-treatment policy would comply. The sponsor also clarified that the bill would not place municipal suppliers or electric membership corporations under Public Service Commission rules. A witness for Electric Cities of Georgia supported the bill. A customer dependent on an electrically powered heart-assistance device described five disconnections over three years, including one involving a $75 balance. The customer said utility staff initially denied having a medical policy, although a policy later obtained offered limited protections. The sponsor said requiring an accessible policy could help customers in similar situations. The chair took no vote and scheduled further consideration Thursday afternoon.

7. Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee, March 19, 2026

   From 0:22:28 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 641 would require electric suppliers to have written disconnection policies for residential customers with serious, life-threatening conditions, including people using powered medical equipment. The sponsor said Georgia Power, Georgia EMC and Electric Cities supported the version presented. In questioning, the sponsor confirmed that suppliers could set their own terms, including offering no special accommodation, and argued that knowing the policy helps customers plan. A member raised concerns about misuse and asked whether documentation would need renewal every 30 days. The sponsor favored leaving timing to suppliers. Asked about storm outages, a witness who uses powered medical equipment described receiving a borrowed generator after tornadoes and said customers are advised to have backup power. The chair offered an amendment limiting the provision to customers who provide a medical statement identifying the illness, its expected duration and confirmation that losing electricity would aggravate it. The sponsor supported the change. The committee unanimously adopted the amendment and unanimously approved the bill as amended. Afterward, a Georgia EMC representative said 83% of members either had written policies or handled these situations case by case, and accepted the amended approach.

• Read aloud: House floor session, February 18, 2026 (legislative day 20), 0:38:50
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 9, 2026 (legislative day 29), 0:26:12
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 20, 2026 (legislative day 35), 0:36:24
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 23, 2026 (legislative day 36), 0:33:08

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