1 / 10

Enhancing State Consumer Protections Effectively

Explore successful state-specific consumer protection strategies, valuable examples, and essential ingredients for success in this comprehensive presentation by National Community Action Foundation. Discover practical enforcement tactics and collaboration opportunities to safeguard consumer rights.

brett-christensen
Télécharger la présentation

Enhancing State Consumer Protections Effectively

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Winning & Enforcing State Utility Consumer Protections National Community Action Foundation St. Petersburg, FL November 13, 2007 NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

  2. Overview of Presentation • General discussion, w. some ex’s (CH) • Ingredients of success (CH) • State-specific examples (Jami, Cynthia) NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

  3. Successes: Example 1 • Iowa: payment plans, IA Adm. Code 199-19.4(10) (p. 95 “Rights”) • Plans must be “reasonable” (p. 96) • 2nd plans can be LONGER than 1st • RESOURCE: Jerry McKim NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

  4. Example 2 • MO winter moratorium rule, tit. 4, § 240-13.055: waived late pmt. fees, reduced pmt. needed to avoid disconnect. Upheld in MO Ct. App. (2006). • RESOURCE: AARP NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

  5. Example 3 • TLSC and TexasROSE petitioned for waiver of deposit rules, post-Katrina. • RESOURCE: Randy Chapman NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

  6. Example 4 • Nevada Fund for Energy Assistance, NRS 702.050 - .280 --- 3.6% of inc. std. • RESOURCE: Fall 04 “Update” NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

  7. Example 5 • MA vendor agreement: 25% down • Serious illness, winter, elderly, infant: 220 CMR 25.03 • RESOURCE: CH NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

  8. Lessons Learned • “90% of life is just showing up” –Woody Allen (e.g., 25% down) • “I found allies that I never thought I’d find, including utility people, regulators, and others. You’ve got to find the right people and work with them to make things better.” - Elliott Jacobson NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

  9. Lessons Learned • Potential allies include leg., util. cos., PUCs, press, other low-income groups • Facts/data play a key role: arrearage and terminations esp. Document the need! • Build a network/Assurance 16 NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

  10. A Word About Enforcement • Most states have under-utilized rules and protections: payment plans, term. rules. NCLC, 77 Summer St, 10th Fl. Boston, MA 02110 Phone: (617) 542-8010 Fax: (617) 542-8028 www.nclc.org Charlie Harak Email: charak@nclc.org

More Related