Esta ley enmienda la Ley Núm. 33 de 27 de junio de 1985 para aumentar de 15 a 30 días el plazo que tienen los suscriptores o usuarios de la Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica y la Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados para objetar una factura. Además, permite que dicha objeción se presente por correo, teléfono, fax o Internet, siempre que se utilicen las direcciones o números específicos provistos por las agencias.
(H. B. 3519) (Reconsidered) (No. 304) (Approved December 16, 2003)
To amend subsection
(a) of Section 3, and amend Section 6 of Act No. 33 of June 27, 1985, to increase the term the Electric Power Authority or Aqueduct and Sewer Authority subscriber or user has to object a bill from fifteen (15) to thirty (30) days, and that said objection may be presented even by mail, phone, fax or Internet, as long as the same is submitted through the specific addresses and/or phone numbers provided by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, as the case may be, for these purposes.
In 1985, the then Governor Rafael Hernández Colón signed Act No. 33 of June 27, 1985, as amended, which establishes the minimum procedural requirements that guarantee for public services subscribers or users, an appropriate opportunity to object the accuracy and prudence of the charges billed and an adequate notice of the determination to suspend services due to default in payment, among other details.
Subsection
(a) of Section 3, and Section 6 of the Act grant fifteen (15) days, as of the date of remitting the bill on account of services charged, for the subscriber to object and request an investigation of the bill before the designated official at the local office where the structure receiving the service is located, which official shall be empowered to correct mistakes or overcharges.
We believe it to be our duty to amend the Act to increase the term that the subscriber shall have to object his or her bill from fifteen (15) to thirty (30) days as of the date of remitting the same.
The requirement for the objection to be presented through the modern communications systems existing at present is equally important. This matter could turn particularly complicated when the subscriber lives far away from said structure. Therefore, the objection may be presented by mail, phone, fax or over the Internet, as long as said communication is issued within the term established in the Act and at the specific addresses or numbers provided by the corresponding government entity, for these purposes.
This Legislature, always aware of the importance of seeing over the rights of our fellow citizens and of guaranteeing that said rights may be exercised within a context of reasonability, hereby amends Act No. 33, supra, pursuant to the principles established herein.
Section 1.—Subsection
(a) of Section 3 of Act No. 33 of June 27, 1985, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 3.—...
(a) As of the date of remitting a bill on account of payment, rates, fees, rents or other charges billed for essential services, the subscriber shall have thirty (30) days to pay or to object and request an investigation thereof before the designated official at the local office where the structure receiving the services is located, which official shall be empowered to correct mistakes or overcharges. The objection and investigation request may be made by mail, phone, fax or over the Internet, as long as the same
is submitted to the specific addresses and/or numbers provided by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority or the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, as corresponds, for these purposes." Section 2.-Section 6 of Act No. 33 of June 27, 1985, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 6. — In any bill that the instrumentality remits to the subscriber, he or she shall be advised that he/she shall have thirty (30) days to pay or to object the same and to request an investigation by the instrumentality, without the service being affected."
Section 3.-This Act shall take effect one hundred eighty (180) days after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 304 (H.B. 3519) (Reconsidered) of the $6^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend subsection
(a) of Section 3, and amend Section 6 of Act No. 33 of June 27, 1985, to increase the term the Electric Power Authority or Aqueduct and Sewer Authority subscriber or user has to object a bill from fifteen (15) to thirty (30) days, and that said objection may be presented even by mail, phone, fax or Internet, as long as the same is submitted through the specific addresses and/or phone numbers provided by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, as the case may be, for these purposes, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $10^{ ext {th }}$ of September of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director