Two bills introduced this week in the state Senate would give people options paying past-due utility bills.

Sen. Kevin Parker, D-Brooklyn, introduced S.8983 and S.8984 to establish two separate types of payment plans for utility bills. S.8983 would require the establishment of automatic affordable payment plans by investor-owned gas, electric and steam companies. Municipal-owned utilities like the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities would be exempt.

Parker’s proposal would apply to anyone who qualifies for TANF, safety net assistance, SNAP, SSI, LIHEAP, a Veteran’s Disability Pension, Veteran’s Surviving Spouse Pension, Child Health Plus, Lifeline, HEAP, direct vendor or utility guarantee, SSDI, TANF family assistance programs, Emergency Rental Assistance Program or any other income-based assistance program identified by the state Public Service Commission.

“Affordable payment plans should provide customers with reasonable means, time and structure to pay their often extraordinarily high energy bills, especially during a period of inflation,” Parker said. “Payment plans should also be more accessible and available to more individuals who have demonstrated the need and should not be tools for generational debt.”

S.8984 creates minimum standards for payment plans for eligible customers and requires the Public Service Commission to set standards for payment plans.

Payment plans would be required to be “reasonable,” give customers an estimated cost over a period of 10 or 12 months, not be terminated unless the customer violates an established utility rule, unless ordered by the Public Service Commission or if required due to health, safety or emergency.

Eligibility would be based on a customer’s qualifications for TANF family assistance, safety net public assistance programs, SSI, SSDI, SNAP, LIHEAP, Veteran’s Disability Pension, Veteran’s Surviving Spouse Pension, Child Health Plus, Lifeline, HEAP, direct vendor or utility guarantee or other income-based assistance programs.

“This legislation directs the Public Service Commission to establish standards that utility companies must abide by when providing payment plans so that customers are not harmed by the term,” Parker wrote in his legislative memorandum.

Both bills have been referred to the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, which Parker chairs.