What's happening
This bill prohibits the NYC Water Board from adopting consumer rules less favorable than current ones and mandates up to six years of refunds for billing errors.
Why it matters
Strengthens consumer protections. by ensuring that the NYC Water Board cannot shorten the time residents have to challenge billing errors or seek refunds, preserving current rights even if the Board wants to change them.
Guarantees long-term accountability. for billing mistakes, as consumers can receive refunds for errors discovered up to six years in the past—potentially recovering significant amounts of overpaid charges.
Limits regulatory backsliding. by forbidding the Water Board from making any changes that would worsen consumer rights, effectively “locking in” existing levels of protection and creating a higher bar for future changes.
Increases financial responsibility for the Water Board. , which may encourage more accurate billing and prompt error correction, since the Board faces mandatory refund obligations for long-standing mistakes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Water Bill Rights
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- 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.
Protect Water Bill Rights
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor N. Nick Perry
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2276
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 12, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT relating to prohibiting the New York city water board from adopting any rules and regulations less favorable to the consumer
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding any rule or regulation by any local government, the New York city water board is hereby prohibited from adopting any rules or regulations that reduce the timeframe for consumers to appeal bills or receive refunds or are otherwise less favorable to the consumer and where backbilling errors are discovered in favor of the consumer, the New York city water board shall provide for and order refunds up to six years.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06434-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act relating to prohibiting the New York city water board from adopting any rules and regulations less favorable to the consumer
Purpose
Prohibits the New York City Water Board from adopting rules and regulations that seduce the timeframe for consumers to appeal bills, receive refunds or otherwise less favorable to the consumer. In addition, where backbilling errors are discovered in favor of the consumer, the New York City water board shall provide for and order refunds up to six years.
Justification
The NYC water board has recently proposed to drastically reduce the period during which billing complaints must be registered, from the current practice of six years to eighteen months. In doing this, the water board is proposing to break with well established and long standing utility industry standard practiced throughout the U.S. and adhered to by the NYS public service commission.
According to the NYC public advocate's office, "the 18 month" proposal would harm businesses as well as private residential consumers. The public advocate reports that although the water board has made some improvements, commercial users still report numerous billing errors from misread meters. Residential customers also report continued problems resulting in overbilling and overpayments, which are usually discovered beyond the 18-month limit proposed.
The 18 month time limit would deny customers their right to refunds for overpayment resulting from the water board's own errors while allowing the water board to retain its own. Adjust and back billing rights of up to two years for residential customers and six for commercial.
This bill will restrict the water board's authority to promulgate such rules that reduce consumer's rights and will preserve and protect existing fair and equitable billing standards for NYC residents whose interest the board should serve.
Prior legislative history
2015-16: S.2635/A.6400-Referred to Corps, Authorities and Commissions 2013-14: S.2697/A.4338 - Referred to Corps, Authorities and Commissions 2011-12: S.1182/A.3055 - Referred to Corps, Authorities and Commissions/Referred to Cities 2009-10: S.2284/A.3374 - Referred to Corps, Authorities and Commissions/Referred to Cities 2008: S.1980 2006: S.1179 2002: A.3881 2000: A.8510
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
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.