Prohibits certain charges by public utilities to customers

HB 3438 prohibits public utilities (gas, electric, water, and sewer companies) from charging customers for specific expenses, including promotional advertising, charitable activities, and lobbying costs. The bill also bans discriminatory pricing practices and requires utilities to seek commission approval for sliding-scale rate adjustments. It mandates that cities pay interest on water/sewer deposits held over two years for current customers and prevents utilities from charging municipalities for fire hydrant placement (though costs can be included in overall rates). These provisions directly affect utility customers and local governments by limiting how utilities can structure and collect fees.