1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to utilities; requiring water utilities to allow residential customers to decline 
1.3 	installation of an advanced water meter;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes, chapter 444.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [444.0751] ADVANCED WATER METERS; CUSTOMER OPT-OUT 
1.7 	OPTION.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have 
1.9 	the meanings given.
1.10 	(b) "Advanced meter" means a meter that records a customer's water usage in real time 
1.11 	and uses wireless communications technology to transmit water usage data to a central 
1.12 	server to be analyzed and used for billing or other purposes.
1.13 	(c) "Water utility" has the meaning given in section 444.25, subdivision 1.
1.14 		Subd. 2.Required opt-out option. Before installing an advanced meter on a residential 
1.15 	customer's property, a water utility must provide written notice to the customer of the 
1.16 	customer's right to decline to have an advanced meter installed. The notice must specify the 
1.17 	impacts on the customer's bill of a decision to decline an advanced water meter, including 
1.18 	(1) additional payments and how additional payments are calculated, and (2) the customer's 
1.19 	ineligibility to participate in any advanced rate design programs offered by the water utility 
1.20 	that require operation of an advanced meter.

1.21 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.