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Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A5556
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.702
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
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 the types of complaints which may be filed with the public service commission and requires information to be published on the commission's website
Signed by Governor · Sponsor David Buchwald
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S4925
Title of bill
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to filing complaints with the public service commission
Purpose or general idea of bill
To explicitly allow complaints about the duration of an electric or gas outage to be made to the Public Service Commission and to require that an appropriate complaint form be published on the Commission's website.
Summary of specific provisions
The bill modifies Section 71 of the Public Service Law to ensure that its provisions about gas or electric complaints to the Public Service Commission explicitly include complaints regarding the duration of outages. The bill also requires the Public Service Commission to post a complaint form along with instructions on its website to comply with this portion of the law, as the Commission's existing online complaint form does not.
Justification
In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, one of the worst natural disasters in New York's history, we need to facilitate the ability of people to make complaints to the Public Service Commission, which provides oversight of New York's utility companies. Section 71 of the existing Public Service Law establishes a procedure for groups of customers or local elected officials to file complaints regarding gas or electric service. This bill ensures that disruptions in gas or electricity service are a proper basis for filing such a complaint. Furthermore, this bill remedies the fact that the Public Service Commission has not posted on its website a complaint form that complies with this section of the law. The only complaint form provided on the Commission's current website is for individuals rather than groups of customers or elected officials, and omits complaints regarding extended delays in restoring service.
In summary, this legislation ensures a forum for complaint to the Public Service Commission, particularly as it relates to extended power outages, and establishes that the complaint procedures will be easily accessible on the Commission's website with clearly delineated forms and instructions.
Fiscal implications
None to the state or to local governments
Legislative history
New bill
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.