Along with

this uniform information provision, the bill prohibits a marketer from

reporting a customer to the credit bureau based on a disputed bill without

conferring with a customer in good faith or gaining an actual judgment

in a court of law first. Along the same line, the bill requires the

Public Service Commission to compose rules to provide dispute resolution

requirements on marketers with retail customers related to disputed

bills.

The next

provision of the bill allows for emergency price protection by the Public

Service Commission if there is clear and convincing evidence of collusion

or price fixing, any time there are three or fewer marketers serving

a market. The purpose of this provision is to stop price fixing.

The bill

also provides for universal service fund expansion. The universal service

fund expansion provides emergency relief for elder, fixed income, and

low income individuals who are hit by high bills especially in times

of emergency such as a bitter winter. In addition, the universal service

fund is expanded to provide assistance for retail customers to improve

their homes with energy conservation efforts.

"This

Natural Gas Bill of Rights is critical to all of Georgia's citizens

and businesses," said Hecht. "It is a first step. I have also

passed a study committee resolution to look at further improvements

to help our citizens," he said.

Hecht called

for a joint state/federal energy policy to encourage reserving, so that

a larger supply of natural gas exists for demand. "When a larger

supply is in existence, the price of natural gas will go down. We need

to do much more as well to protect our consumers. However, this is a

good start," he said.