Proclamation 20-05 of State of Emergency and Implementation of Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan – COVID-19 (Governor of State of Washington)

This proclamation states that a State of Emergency exists in all counties in the state of Washington due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). It directs the plans and procedures of the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan be implemented. State agencies and departments are directed to utilize state resources and to do everything reasonably possible to assist affected political subdivisions in an effort to respond to and recover from the outbreak.
Its subsequent Proclamation 20-23.11 provides that the Governor prohibit all energy, telecommunications, and water providers in Washington State from conducting the following activities: (1) Disconnecting any residential customers from energy, telecommunications, or water service due to nonpayment on an active account, except at the request of the customer. (2) Refusing to reconnect any residential customer who has been disconnected due to nonpayment; (3) Charging fees for late payment or reconnection of energy, telecommunications, or water service; and (4) Disconnecting service to any residential customer who has contacted the utility to request assistance from the utility’s COVID-19 Customer Support Program.