What's happening
This bill requires the Public Service Commission to regularly study, report, and publicize water rates and costs across New York.
Why it matters
Creates a standardized way to compare water costs. across all types of providers (private and municipal), which could reveal significant regional differences and inequities in water pricing.
Mandates clear, consumer-focused reporting. on how water bills are structured and recommends improvements, potentially making it easier for residents to understand their charges and identify errors or inefficiencies.
Requires regular (biennial) updates. to reflect changes in water rates, ensuring that the information remains current and relevant for decision-makers, advocates, and the public.
Increases transparency and public accountability. by obligating the Commission to post findings online and provide reports to key legislative leaders, possibly influencing future water policy and rate-setting processes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Study Water Billing Costs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
11 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
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
6035
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 21, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to authorizing the public service commission to conduct a water rate and cost study
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 89-q to read as follows:
§ 89-q. Water rate and cost study. 1. The commission shall conduct a study to analyze the rates and fees of each water works corporation and municipal water system. The study shall analyze the average annual cost to customers using uniform usage, metrics and time period in order to compare costs between water supply providers. The study shall examine the format of customer bills and provide recommendations on improving the understanding of water use and cost to consumers.
2. The commission shall publish a report on the annual cost of water for all water supply providers. The report must be published within six months of the effective date of this section. A copy of the report must be furnished to the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the chairperson of the senate standing committee on energy and telecommunications, and the chairperson of the assembly standing committee on corporations, authorities and commissions.
3. The commission shall notify customers of its findings on its website.
4. The study shall be updated biennially to account for any change in rates or fees.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09967-01-7
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.