Ratepayers’ Bill of Rights

(a)I Liheslaturan Guåhan finds that the services provided by Public Utilities are basic necessities that the residents of COL6/24/2021 CH. 12 PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION AND THE GUAM TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 2004 Guam must receive in order to function in modern life. I Liheslaturan Guåhan also finds that because residents have very little choice in purchasing these basic necessities, they are held captive to the rates and rate increases of the Public Utilities. Any rate increase therefore diminishes the amount of hardearned wages residents have to spend on other basic necessities, such as food, shelter and clothing, as well as the amount of hardearned wages they have to set aside for retirement, college, emergencies or a family business.

(b)While I Liheslaturan Guåhan recognizes that over a long period of time, an increase in utility rates is inevitable, such rate increases must be made out of absolute necessity, and only after every cost-cutting effort has been made and every other available option has been exhausted. I Liheslaturan Guåhan intends to make it clear that it does not want to interfere with the ability of the Public Utilities Commission to regulate and set rates for the Public Utilities, but I Liheslaturan Guåhan also intends to make it abundantly clear that no Public Utility shall submit a proposal for a rate increase without first giving the people of Guam more than ample opportunity to exercise their fundamental rights as ratepayers. Those fundamental rights of the ratepayers include:

(1)the right to receive clear and adequate notice of any proposed rate increase;

(2)the right to be fully informed about and to fully evaluate any proposed rate increase, as well as the finances of a Public Utility; and

(3)the right to give input and participate in any proposed rate increase. It is these basic rights which the Ratepayers’ Bill of Rights seeks to uphold.