e-KNOW Act
Latest action (16 Mar 2010): Introduced
What this bill does
Generate a neutral, plain-English explanation of what this bill does, who it affects and what happens next — grounded in the official text.
Official summary
Electric Consumer Right to Know Act or the e-KNOW Act - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to grant an electric consumer the right to access the consumer's retail electric energy information in electronic machine-readable form, in conformity with nationally recognized open standards, free of charge, and in a timely and convenient manner that provides adequate protections for information security and the consumer's privacy.
Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue guidelines identifying minimum national standards to implement such right of access, including: (1) guidance on the timeliness and granularity of retail electric energy information; (2) appropriate nationally recognized open standards for data; and (3) protection of data security and electric consumer privacy.
Empowers the attorney general, official, or agency of the state, as parens patriae, to bring a civil action against an electric utility in U.S. district court to compel compliance with such standards.
Authorizes the court to award the costs of the action and reasonable attorney's fees to the party bringing a successful civil action to enforce the standards identified by the guidelines issued under this Act.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 4860 do?
- Electric Consumer Right to Know Act or the e-KNOW Act - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to grant an electric consumer the right to access the consumer's retail electric energy information in electronic machine-readable form, in conformity with nationally recognized open standards, free of charge, and in a timely and convenient manner that provides adequate protections for information security and the consumer's privacy. Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue guidelines identifying minimum national standards to implement such right of access, including: (1) guidance on the timeliness and granularity of retail electric energy information; (2) appropriate nationally recognized open standards for data; and (3) protection of data security and electric consumer privacy. Empowers the attorney general, official, or agency of the state, as parens patriae, to bring a civil action against an electric utility in U.S. district court to compel compliance with such standards. Authorizes the court to award the costs of the action and reasonable attorney's fees to the party bringing a successful civil action to enforce the standards identified by the guidelines issued under this Act.
- Has H.R. 4860 become law?
- Not yet. As of 16 Mar 2010, H.R. 4860 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 4860?
- H.R. 4860 was sponsored by Sen. Edward “Ed” Markey [D-MA] (Democrat-MA), with 6 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 4860?
- Introduced (16 Mar 2010).
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