1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to energy; providing cold weather protection for certain delivered fuel 
1.3 	residential heating customers; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes, chapter 216B.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [216B.099] COLD WEATHER PROTECTION FOR CONSUMERS OF 
1.7 	DELIVERED FUELS.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. For the purposes of this section:
1.9 	(1) "customer" means a residential customer with a household income at or below 50 
1.10 	percent of the statewide median income who is heating a residence with heating fuels;
1.11 	(2) "heating fuels" means (i) liquid propane gas, (ii) number one fuel oil, and (iii) 
1.12 	number two fuel oil;
1.13 	(3) "vendor" means a dealer or distributor of heating fuels; and
1.14 	(4) "cold weather period" means the period from October 15 through April 15.
1.15 		Subd. 2.Cold weather protection. (a) During the cold weather period, each vendor 
1.16 	shall offer a monthly payment agreement for customers unable to pay for the full cost of 
1.17 	delivery for heating fuels. Any past-due bills prior to October 15 must be included in a 
1.18 	payment agreement. A vendor may not require a customer to pay more than ten percent 
1.19 	of the customer's monthly income. Payment agreements must consider the customer's 
1.20 	financial circumstances.
1.21 	(b) During the cold weather period, a vendor shall continue to deliver to customers 
1.22 	who are current on a payment agreement. A customer is considered current unless the 
1.23 	customer fails to pay two consecutive monthly payments under the agreement. A vendor 
1.24 	making delivery to a customer with a current payment agreement may not charge the 
2.1 	customer any additional costs or fees that would not be charged to any other customer 
2.2 	and must make available to that customer any discount program on the same basis as the 
2.3 	vendor makes available to any other customer.