Relating to consumer protection for utility ratepayers.

The House ordering date was changed from April 15 to June 20, and the House amendments now include both April 15 and June 20 dates.

The bill title was updated to clarify that it creates new provisions in addition to amending existing law, rather than only amending existing law.

A new section was added that increases the maximum expenditure limit for the Low-Income Electric Bill Payment Assistance Fund by $20 million for the 2025-2027 biennium, providing additional funding flexibility for the program.

Several bracketed text items from the digest section were removed, including references to a sunset date and alternative digest language, likely to streamline the summary.

Increased minimum annual collection amount from $20 million to $40 million for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance.

Doubled maximum monthly assistance per customer site from $500 to $1,000 for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance.

Requires Public Utility Commission to reassess community need every two years and report to the Legislative Assembly if collection increases exceed 2.5 percent.

Added requirements for the Housing and Community Services Department to allocate funds, investigate alternative delivery models, and prioritize assistance for customers at risk of disconnection.

Removed the sunset provision that would have ended the bill's effect on January 2, 2027.