Sec. 16-49e. Public service company may request identification from person opening an account. Telecommunications company may request identification prior to providing service. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 16-49e. Public service company may request identification from person opening an account. Telecommunications company may request identification prior to providing service. (a) As used in this section "identification" means a Social Security number, the number of an identity card issued pursuant to section 1-1h, the number of a motor vehicle operator's license issued pursuant to section 14-36, a valid passport issued by the United States or a foreign government, a resident alien card or an alien registration card issued by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service, any other valid forms of identification issued by the federal government or a state or municipal government, or any other means of identification approved by the Department of Public Utility Control. A public service company, as defined in section 16-1, may request a person opening an account with the company to provide the company with two forms of identification, one of which contains a picture of the person, at the time of opening the account. If a person opening an account fails to provide the requested identification, the public service company shall open an account for such person and allow fifteen days for such person to provide the company with identification. If such person fails to provide the required identification within fifteen days, the public service company may terminate service to such person.

      (b) A telecommunications company that is certified to provide telecommunications service pursuant to section 16-247g may not require a prospective residential customer to provide identification as a condition of providing telecommunications service, except to the extent that a public service company is permitted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

      (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude a company from accepting additional forms of identification, provided the company accepts the forms of identification specified in subsection (a) of this section.

      (P.A. 95-274, S. 1; P.A. 02-8, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 02-8 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same to expand definition of "identification" to include a passport, a resident alien card, an alien registration card, or any other valid form of identification issued by the federal government or a state or municipal government, to allow a public service company to request two forms of identification, one of which contains a picture of the person, and to make conforming changes, added Subsec. (b) to allow a telecommunications company to request identification to the same extent as a public service company, and added Subsec. (c) to allow companies to accept additional forms of identification, effective April 22, 2002.