HB 1274

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that in a community of manufactured homes, where the water system in the community is connected to a municipal public water supply system, potable water shall be provided at each manufactured home site. Provides that where a manufactured home community owner or operator bills the residents of the community using monthly line-item charges for utilities, including, but not limited to, water, those charges shall be based on either: (i) a resident's actual usage, as measured by submeters installed on each manufactured home site within the community; or (ii) a ratio utility billing system, in the absence of submeters, in which charges for water shall be divided by certain criteria, including, but not limited to, the number of occupants per household, the square footage of the manufactured home, or other factors. Provides that the ratio utility billing system shall not bill all residents of the community equally for a water utility bill issued to the manufactured home community owner or operator by the municipal public water supply system. Provides that where a manufactured home community does not have existing submeters, submeters shall be installed at the expense of the manufactured home community owner or operator. Provides that the community owner or operator shall be considered the water supplier and is the party responsible for the water distribution system up to the individual service line at each manufactured home site. Provides that the owner or operator shall be responsible for all maintenance and associated costs of any meters and submeters, within the community, installed outside and beneath a manufactured home. Provides that the amendatory Act shall not apply to any manufactured home community that has its own water source, including, but not limited to, a well.