Chap. 802.        AN  ACT   RELATIVE   TO THE DISCONTINUANCE OF UTILITY SERVICE.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows:
SECTION 1.    Chapter   164   of   the  General  Laws  is  hereby amended by striking out section 124A,  as amended by section 2 of chapter 118 of the acts of 1965, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 124A.    No gas or electric company shall cut off or fail to restore gas or electric service in any residence during such time as there is a serious illness therein, provided that a registered physician or the local board of health certifies in writing to the company that such serious illness exists and provided, further,  that the customer cannot afford to pay any overdue bill because of a financial hardship.    The department may promulgate such rules  and  regulations  consistent with this section as it deems reasonable and necessary to carry out the intent of this section.    Any willful  violation  of  this  section or section one hundred and twenty-four by any gas or electric company shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars.
SECTION 2.    Said chapter 164 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 124E the following section:-
Section 124F.    No gas or electric company shall between Nov-ember  fifteenth  and March  fifteenth  shut off gas or electric service to any residential customer who cannot pay an overdue charge because of financial hardship, when such gas or electric
service is used to provide heat or to operate the heating system of the customer's unit or building.    The department may promulgate such rules and regulations consistent with this section as it deems  reasonable  and necessary to implement the provision of this section.
Approved November 16, 1979.
EMERGENCY LETTER November 29,  1979 @ 1:48 P.M.