Recording in progress.

Today is Thursday, March twenty sixth, twenty twenty-six, and we're meeting in room four twelve of the John A.

Wilson building as well as over the Zoom virtual platform.

The time is now ten oh nine AM, and I'm calling to order this public hearing of the committee.

During today's public hearing, we're going to hear from public and government witnesses on six bills.

Bill 26 105, the Improving Tenant Access to Water Bills Amendment Act of 2025.

Bill 26 124, the Utility Disconnection Protection Act of 2025.

Bill 26 243, the Automatic Enrollment for Utility Affordability Programs Act of 2025, Bill 26 443, the DC Water Billing and Disconnection Modernization Amendment Act of 2025, Bill 26-595, the Transparent Rates and Utility Expenses Amendment Act of 2026, and Bill 26-602, the Guiding Renewable Interconnection and Distribution Amendment Act of 2026, otherwise known as the Grid Act of 2026.

Are you all picking up on a theme today?

Utility costs have been rising, and the average overdue balance for all utility bills was nearly $800 million as of late 2025.

Translated.

According to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, one in six households nationwide were behind on their energy bills in late 2025 due to record high summer cooling costs and rising winter heating costs.

Calls about utility shutoff notices have surged, indicating many families are juggling which of their essential bills they have to pay.

PEPCO and Washington Gas have implemented or requested rate increases raising from five to eighteen percent over the last two years, with the Public Service Commission approving several rate hikes on residents and businesses.

And as we've recently witnessed, the PSC had one of their rate increases vacated by a Court of Appeals decision, which implicates poor process and the decision to move ahead without proper evidentiary hearings.

While the cost of generating power outside DC has skyrocketed, the cost of distributing power within the district has risen in kind.

And we continue to rely on imported electricity and natural gas, leaving DC at risk of electricity cost swings and ongoing investments of more than $50 million per year for the foreseeable future in gas infrastructure replacement rather than repair.

Planning a better future at a reasonable cost to ratepayers will be essential to avoiding stranded costs and paving the way for a more affordable and energy independent DC.

Importantly, while working families' inability to afford higher costs or substantial factor driving higher energy burdens, energy inefficient housing also plays a larger role.

We have to improve energy efficiency in our multifamily properties so that our neighbors are not paying more than they should or are actually using.

Inefficient or inaccessible policies and programs for bill assistance, energy efficiency and weatherization for low-income households are one way.

Many income eligible families are often unaware of utility assistance programs and unfamiliar with the application process.

Only about 20%, only 20% of eligible DC residents are enrolled in customer assistance or utility discount programs, such as our low-income home energy assistance program, otherwise known as LIHEAT.

Why?

Because these are systems that are set up to make lower income working families prove their poverty over and over again.

It's demoralizing to our residents, and it's unnecessary.

And as a result, a lot of households are not getting the help that they need.

Additionally, so some low-income household faces they face barriers to program participation, such as lacking internet or phone access to complete that application reform, or not receiving a utility bill directly because they live in a master metered building or are renters in other properties.

On the whole, we have to improve access to our utility assistance and affordability programs, ensure that billing practices and processes are clear, clarifying protections for tenants and fair billing practices for housing providers, and we have to strengthen and create new opportunities to expand our energy options.

Today's hearing is aimed squarely at changing the status quo and helping our residents and businesses across DC.

So here's a quick review of the bills that are before us today that I'm going to turn to my colleagues for opening statements.

We have Bill 26-105, which is the Improving Tenant Access to Water Bills Amendment Act of 2025.

It was introduced on January 31st, 2025 by Councilmembers Parker and Fruman, and referred to the committee on February 4th.

The bill would allow tenants of residential properties to receive a copy of their DC water bill for their home, even if the property owner is the primary account holder and the one who is directly billed.

Bill 26-105 also clarifies that payments made by a tenant toward their DC water bill after receipt of such a bill should be deducted from the rent owed to the owner.

The bill also makes authorized tenants eligible for payment plans or customer assistance programs and empowers the Office of People's Council to assist tenants.

Bill 26-124, the Utility Disconnection Protection Act of 2025, was introduced by Council Mrs.

Nadeau and Bonds on February 14, 2025, and sequentially referred to this committee on February 18, 2025.

On March 3rd, 2026, following the dissolution of the Committee on Business Economic Development, the measure was referred directly to this committee.

The bill creates several protections for certain protected households defined to include seniors, children, individuals, disabilities, anyone who's pregnant or receiving pregnant recently pregnant, and low-income families.

Specifically, the bill prohibits electric and gas utilities from disconnecting services for unpaid bills during protected months, the cold seasons between November 1st and February 29th, and the hot season between May 15th and September 15th.

The Department of Energy and Environment would be responsible for determining enrollment in the shutoff protection program.

The bill also requires that electric and gas utilities offer payment plans and limit the monthly installments that must be paid through, as well as the penalties and fees that can be applied to payment plans.

Finally, the bill requires that electric and gas utilities report out information on rear on a rearages and disconnections to the Public Service Commission.

Bill 26 243, the automatic enrollment for utility affordability programs act of 2025 was introduced by myself along with Councilmembers Nadeau, Robert White, Louis George, McDuffie, and Parker on May 6th, 2025, and subsequently referred to this committee with comments from the Committee on Business and Economic Development, Committee on Human Services, and Committee on Health on May 13th.

Bill 26 243, if passed, would require that the Department of Energy and Environment, in coordination with the Department of Human Services and Department of Healthcare Finance automatically enroll low-income residents into income qualified utility affordability programs.

Residents who receive funds already through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, temporary assistance for needy families program, or TANF, Medicaid or other applicable human and social service programs would become eligible for automatic enrollment.

Bill 26 443, the DC Water Billing and Disconnection Modernization Amendment Act of 2025 was introduced by myself and Councilmembers Fruman, Pinto, Nadeau, Robert White, Louis George, and Trayon White on October 21st, 2025, and then referred to this committee on October 23rd.

The DC Water Billing and Disconnection Modernization Amendment Act of 2025 would overhaul DC Water's billing and disconnection processes.

The bill establishes a clear timeline for when DC Water issues a bill, when payment is due, and when an account is deemed delinquent and when service can be disconnected following a delinquency with longer waiting periods for more vulnerable residents.

Additionally, Bill 26 443 expands options for tenants of a rental property or owner occupy owner occupants of a multi-unit property to receive water and sewer service instead of through their landlord or a unit owner's association.

The bill requires DC Water to establish an amnesty program to help customers address outstanding balances and incentive programs through which customers can receive a discount on their bill.

The bill also makes updates to the receivership process and places limits on when DC Water can initiate liens against delinquent properties.

And finally, the bill requires the DC Water report out information to district agencies and to the Council regarding delinquencies and disconnections.

Bill 26 595, the transparent transparent rates and utility expenses, or true Amendment Act of 2026, was introduced by Councilor Robert White, along with Councilmember Fruman, Trayon White, Bonds, Nadeau, and Parker on February 13th, 2026, and referred to this committee on March 3rd, 2026.

The bill requires that housing providers provide prospective tenants with a list of all applicable charges for renting the rental unit before collecting an application fee, as well as a description of the method that the housing provider will use to allocate charges for the utility, which is commonly referred to as ratio utility billing systems.

The bill also periodically grants tenants access to utility bills issued to the housing provider and the right to inspect water service submetering equipment, noncompliant housing providers are prohibited from increasing rent, and the tenant is not required to pay for associated charges or fees.

And finally, Bill 26-602, the guiding renewable interconnection and distribution grid amendment act of 2026 was introduced by myself along with Councilmembers Fruman, Louis George, Nadeau, Parker, Pinto, and Robert White on February 24, 2026, and referred to this committee on March 3rd, 2026.

The stated purpose of the bill is to, if passed, clarify the Public Service Commission regulations to strengthen enforcement of existing standards to reduce timelines and costs for solar customers.

The bill would also require a regularly updated guide to the costs and processes to be available on PEPCO's website and require the Commission to update solar processes in line with the nationwide solar permitting policies on a regular cycle.