Report Title:

PUC; Use of Minor to Apply for Utility Service; Prohibition

Description:

Prohibits using the name of a minor to apply for any utility service, including water. Makes violation a misdemeanor and subjects violator to a fine of not more than $5,000.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2838

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to public utilities.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that certain parents or guardians of minors have applied for or supplied the names of their minor children as the person responsible for paying various utility services. Often, this occurs after the parent or guardian has already defaulted, for various reasons, on previous payments and can no longer apply for or receive utility services in their own names. Bills under the minor's name also go unpaid. In certain instances, minors who attain the age of majority, whether or not they knew about the use of their names when they were minors, discover that their credit histories are blemished for nonpayment of these utility bills. The purpose of this Act is to prohibit the use of a minor's name to apply, or be the person responsible for, payment of utility services in the State.

SECTION 2. Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§269-    Public utility services; use of minor; prohibited. (a) No parent or guardian of a minor shall use the name of the parent's or guardian's minor child, or any other minor child, to apply for or to be the person responsible for the payment of any public utility service under this chapter; provided that for the purposes of this section, the provision of water by the respective counties shall also be considered a provision of a public utility service.

(b) Any person who violates this section commits a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than $5,000, notwithstanding section 706-640."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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