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SB 385

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION -- 2025 UTILITY COMPANY BILLING TRANSPARENCY ACT

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jake Bissaillon and 9 co-sponsors

Requires Rhode Island utilities to provide transparent, itemized billing with plain-language explanations, enabling consumers to better understand charges and identify errors.

04/08/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 385

Legislative bill overview

SB 385, Rhode Island's 2025 Utility Company Billing Transparency Act, requires public utilities to provide clearer, more detailed billing statements to consumers. The bill aims to make utility charges more understandable by mandating standardized formats, itemized breakdowns, and plain-language explanations of fees and rate components.

Why is this important

Utility bills often confuse consumers with technical jargon and unclear fee structures, making it difficult for people to understand what they're paying for or identify errors. Better billing transparency enables customers to make informed decisions about energy use, compare rates more effectively, and contest incorrect charges—ultimately shifting some market power back to residential and small business consumers.

Potential points of contention

  • Compliance costs: Utilities may argue that standardizing billing systems and redesigning statements requires significant IT infrastructure investments that could be passed to ratepayers
  • Regulatory scope: Questions about whether the Public Utilities Commission has adequate authority and resources to enforce new billing standards without slowing utility rate reviews
  • One-size-fits-all concerns: Different utility types (electric, gas, water) have different cost structures; standardized formats might oversimplify or create inconsistencies across providers

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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