Section 366 of the House amendment represents a compromise between comparable provisions contained in H.R. 8200 as passed by the House and the Senate amendment. Subsection (a) is modified so that the applicable date is the date of the order for relief rather than the date of the filing of the petition. Subsection (b) contains a similar change but is otherwise derived from section 366(b) of the Senate amendment, with the exception that a time period for continued service of 20 days rather than 10 days is adopted.

This section gives debtors protection from a cut-off of service by a utility because of the filing of a bankruptcy case. This section is intended to cover utilities that have some special position with respect to the debtor, such as an electric company, gas supplier, or telephone company that is a monopoly in the area so that the debtor cannot easily obtain comparable service from another utility. The utility may not alter, refuse, or discontinue service because of the nonpayment of a bill that would be discharged in the bankruptcy case. Subsection (b) protects the utility company by requiring the trustee or the debtor to provide, within ten days, adequate assurance of payment for service provided after the date of the petition.

2020—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–260, § 1001(h)(2), struck out subsec. (d) which read as follows: “Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a utility may not alter, refuse, or discontinue service to a debtor who does not furnish adequate assurance of payment under this section if the debtor—

“(1) is an individual;

“(2) makes a payment to the utility for any debt owed to the utility for service provided during the 20-day period beginning on the date of the order for relief; and

“(3) after the date on which the 20-day period beginning on the date of the order for relief ends, makes a payment to the utility for services provided during the pendency of case when such a payment becomes due.”

Pub. L. 116–260, § 1001(h)(1), added subsec. (d).

2005—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–8, § 417(1), substituted “subsections (b) and (c)” for “subsection (b)”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–8, § 417(2), added subsec. (c).

1984—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–353 inserted “of the commencement of a case under this title or” after “basis”.

Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, title X, § 1001(h)(2), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3221, provided that the amendment made by section 1001(h)(2) is effective on the date that is 1 year after Dec. 27, 2020.

Amendment by Pub. L. 109–8 effective 180 days after Apr. 20, 2005, and not applicable with respect to cases commenced under this title before such effective date, except as otherwise provided, see section 1501 of Pub. L. 109–8, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–353 effective with respect to cases filed 90 days after July 10, 1984, see section 552(a) of Pub. L. 98–353, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.