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Sponsors
10 Co-sponsors
History
- Signed chap.330
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 50–11
- 3rd reading cal.1078
- Substituted for S4208B
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Amended on third reading 7593b
- Ordered to third reading cal.504
- Returned to assembly
Show 11 earlier actions
- Died in senate
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Amended on third reading 7593a
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.245
- Rules report cal.245
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to utility service call centers
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Diane J. Savino
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A7593B
Title of bill
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to utility service call centers
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill requires public utilities to provide certain call center services.
Summary of specific provisions
A new subdivision 13 is added to section 65 of the public service law to require utilities to provide certain call center services to customers. The bill also requires a hearing before the Commission in the event an existing call center or facility providing customer service assistance is proposed to be closed or relo- cated.
Justification
Claiming cost savings and more efficient customer service; many public utilities are considering or are already employing the services of call centers located out-of-state and outside the service area of these companies. While on the outset the above intentions seem reasonable, this strategy is actually a disinvestment in both New York's economy and overall safety.
To have employees who work and reside in New York State, as opposed to workers at a centralized location out-of-state, will assure a greater level of responsiveness and sensitivity to. local conditions, rules and regulations governing utility services and local and state programs accessible to customers in need. Community-based employees have a vested interest in the safety and general well-being of the areas in which they live.
Additionally, relocating call centers out of state also demonstrates the potential for compromising the timeliness of and quality of responses to emergency calls. Locally based utility employees play in coordinating the efforts of emergency response crews brought in from outside of impacted regions. Their institutional knowledge of the systems, geography and conditions on the ground are essential to the effective deployment of emergency response units.
Prior legislative history
2009 Passed the Assembly; Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Telecommunications 2007-2008 A606 Vetoed 2005-2006 A4184 Passed the Assembly 2003-2004 A201 Passed the Assembly 2001-2002 referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions 2002 Referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect in 60 days. The public service commission is immediately authorized and directed to take any and all actions, including but not limited to the promulgation of any
necessary rules, necessary to fully implement the provisions of this act on its effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.