What's happening
This bill prohibits utility rate increases intended to offset costs from hiring replacement workers during labor disputes with permanent employees.
Why it matters
Limits cost-shifting to consumers. By preventing utilities from raising rates to pay for replacement workers during labor disputes, the bill ensures that customers are not financially penalized for labor conflicts between management and employees.
Strengthens labor's bargaining power. The bill removes a potential incentive for utilities to prolong or escalate labor disputes, as they can no longer easily pass the increased costs of hiring temporary staff onto ratepayers.
Encourages faster dispute resolution. With the financial pressure of replacement staffing costs remaining on the utility (rather than customers), companies may have stronger motivation to resolve disputes with permanent employees more quickly and fairly.
Promotes transparency and fairness in rate-setting. By explicitly restricting rate increases tied to labor disputes, the legislation aims to keep utility rate hikes focused on service improvements or legitimate operational needs, not on covering avoidable, dispute-related expenses.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Strike-Related Rate Hikes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
130
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to utility rate requests
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 12 of section 66 of the public service law is amended by adding a new paragraph (b-1) to read as follows:
(b-1) The commission shall not approve any rate or charge, or in any form contract or agreement or any rule or regulation relating to any rate charge or service which would increase the aggregate revenues of an applicant where such rate, charge, agreement, rule or regulation is intended to offset expenses attributable to a contract for services or to the employment of persons on a non-permanent basis due to a labor dispute involving the applicant and its permanent employees for services that are generally performed by such permanent employees but for such dispute.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01503-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.