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5/7/2024
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Senate OKs Sen. Bissaillon’s solar industry consumer-protection bill
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STATE HOUSE – The Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Jacob Bissaillon to protect consumers and ensure a healthy solar industry by regulating businesses selling home solar systems.
According to the Department of Business Regulation (DBR), state agencies receive frequent complaints from customers about solar retailers, especially regarding aggressive sales tactics, lacking or misleading information about tax benefits and financing terms and misrepresentations about installation requirements.
Senator Bissaillon’s bill ((2024-S 2801Aaa) ) would set up a series of regulations to protect consumers, including requirements that solar retailers register both their business and a roster of all representatives soliciting sales in Rhode Island, that they conduct criminal records checks for all principal officers and sales representatives and that they follow municipal restricts on door-to-door sales and federal telemarketing rules. The DBR would have the authority and resources to investigate complaints and to impose administrative penalties, revoke a registration and order violators to cease and desist.
“Solar is a great opportunity for Rhode Islanders to reduce their carbon footprint, save money on utilities and contribute to the clean energy transition that we very much need. Our state cannot afford to have a few bad actors destroy the public’s trust and slow down solar adoption. This legislation will provide Rhode Islanders confidence in the deal they are being offered and ensure that only those who are being honest with consumers can get a foothold in Rhode Island’s solar industry,” said Senator Bissaillon (D-Dist. 1, Providence).
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, where House Deputy Majority Whip Mia A. Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln) is sponsoring companion legislation (2024-H 7603). The legislation is supported by DBR, the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, the Office of Energy Resources and members of the solar sales industry.
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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