(Edition of September 26, 1996)

Consumer Protection & Education

(Proposed Report Outline / Table of Contents (Chapters & Sections))

A Work in Progress….

(Revised at September 26 DAWG-D Meeting)

1. Introduction (Chapter 12 introduction & Section 12.1. from 8/30 DAWG Report) (AUTHOR TBA)

2. Consumer Principles for Restructuring (Section 2.2. from 8/30 DAWG Report) (MICHAEL SHAMES / SUSAN BROWN)

3. Potential Unfair Trade & Marketing Practices (OPTIONS: Either (1) describe unfair trade and marketing practices first, then address solutions in later sections (as proposed here), or (2) address each possible unfair trade and marketing practice and possible solutions at the same time, in a single section.) (JOE CABRERA / RICH JARVINEN)

3.1. Fraudulent Practices (Using the introduction & "A" in DRA's 8/23/96 Issue #9 draft)

3.1.1. Enrollment

3.1.1.1. Slamming (#2)

3.1.1.2. Redlining (#13, also using the first part of UCAN's 6.2.)

3.1.2. Meter Tampering, Billing, & Collections

3.1.2.1. Billing for Services Not Rendered (#9, #10, #12)

  1. Advance Payment & Deposit Requirements for Services Not Intended to be Rendered (#3, #4)
  2. Billing for Unsettled Disputes with Other Retailers (#1)
  3. Disconnection (Issue #7 contains some of this)

3.1.3. Marketing

3.1.3.1. Misrepresenting services to customers by using other retailers' names and products (#5, #6, #7)

3.1.3.2. Making false statements about pricing terms (#8)

3.2. Legal Practices which Could Be Harmful Absent Consumer Education

3.2.1. Enrollment

3.2.1.1. High Cost Exit Terms in Contracts

  1. Long Term Contractual Agreements
  2. Landlord/Tenant Restrictions (UCAN's 6.5.)
  3. Inability to Serve an Area (?)
  1. 3.2.2. Metering, Billing & Collections
    1. Use of Service Limiters (UCAN's 6.4.)
    2. Metering & Billing Inaccuracies

3.2.3. Marketing

3.2.3.1. Aggressive Sales (#11)

  1. Sales of High Priced Services (#11)
  2. Unsolicited Marketing (#11)
  3. Selective Marketing

3.2.4. Representations

3.2.4.1. Confusing Names and Disclosures (#5, #6, #7)

3.2.4.2. Incomplete Disclosures (#8)

4. Access to Customer Information (Chapter 7 from 8/30 DAWG Report) (JARVINEN)

5. Registration & Oversight (SHAMES / JARVINEN)

5.1. Regulatory Authority, Existing Statutes and Examples from Other Contexts (Section 6.2. from 8/30 DAWG Report w/Changes to Legal Requirements Resulting from AB 1890)

5.2. Competitive Electric Service Provider Requirements (Section 6.5. from 8/30 DAWG Report w/Changes per AB 1890)

  1. 6. Dispute and Complaint Resolution (SHAMES / BROWN)

6.1 Dispute and Complaint Resolution

6.2 Customer Representation & Advocacy

7. Energy Service Provider Business Practices (SHAMES / JARVINEN)

7.1. Methods of Governance

7.1.1. Government Oversight

7.1.2. Private Industry Oversight

7.2. Current & Potential Future Requirements

7.2.1. Marketing Codes of Conduct

7.2.2. Enrollment

7.2.2.1. Nondiscriminatory credit and deposit rules (UCAN's 6.3.2.)

7.2.3. Information Disclosure

7.2.3.1. Mandated

7.2.3.1.1. AB 1890

7.2.3.1.2. CPUC

  1. 7.2.3.2. Voluntary or Future Regulatory Opportunities

7.2.3.2.1.Uniform pricing and service terms disclosure (UCAN's 6.3.1.)

7.2.4. Metering (universal, UDC control, ESP control)

7.2.5. Billing and Payment Processing

7.2.6. Customer Service

7.2.7. Reporting Requirements

8. Consumer Education (Chapter 11 of 8/30 DAWG Report) (CARL SILSBEE / LYNN MAACK)

8.1. Education Trust (Chapter 12 of 8/30 DAWG Report)

8.last. Implementation (e.g. SCE's education implementation proposal, with input from others, and legislative actions necessary to establish funding mechanisms)

  1. 9. Required Legislative Actions to Establish CPUC Authority (??) (maybe split into ends of other chapters) (SILSBEE?)

or

9. Implementation (??) (maybe split into ends of other chapters) (SILSBEE?)