What's happening
This bill requires utility companies in New York to provide customers with annual statements detailing and explaining delivery service charges and taxes.
Why it matters
Enhances consumer awareness. by requiring utilities to break down and explain various delivery service charges, including specific taxes and regulatory fees, helping customers understand exactly what they are paying for.
Sheds light on regulatory and policy costs. like those related to energy efficiency programs, distributed energy resources, and zero emission credits—which are often embedded in bills but rarely itemized for the public.
Allows for better comparison and accountability. across different utilities, since all must provide a standardized annual statement detailing how much of the average bill goes to each category of fee or tax.
May empower ratepayers and advocacy groups. with clearer information to question or challenge specific charges, potentially influencing future policy or regulatory decisions regarding utility billing practices.
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Show Utility Bill Charges
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Substituted by A8288B
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- Amended (t) 6335c
- 1st report cal.96
- Print number 6335b
- Amend and recommit to energy and telecommunications
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
- Committed to rules
- Amended on third reading (t) 6335a
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
Show 2 earlier actions
- 1st report cal.1356
- 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.
Require Utility Bill Transparency
Vetoed · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6335--C Cal. No. 96
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 11, 2017
Introduced by Sens. GRIFFO, PHILLIPS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third… Show allHide
Introduced by Sens. GRIFFO, PHILLIPS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading -- recommitted to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first report, amended on first report, ordered to a second report and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of second report
AN ACT to amend the public service law and the public authorities law, in relation to requiring combination gas and electric corporations, the New York Power Authority and the Long Island Power Authority to provide an annual transparency statement to customers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 44 of the public service law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
6. Commencing on January first, two thousand twenty-one, every combination gas and electric corporation on an annual basis, shall provide each customer with an annual transparency statement which shall detail the following charges on a gross basis which are included in each customer's delivery service portion of their utility bill, including but not limited to: (i) property taxes; (ii) sales and compensating use taxes; (iii) costs and expenses of the commission and department pursuant to section eighteen-a of this chapter; (iv) gross receipts taxes; (v) franchise and income taxes; (vi) metropolitan transportation authority payroll taxes; and (vii) fees, charges and costs imposed by the public service commission which are embedded in the customer bill. Such fees, charges and costs shall include costs from the implementation of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11743-06-8
S. 6335--C 2
reforming energy vision, energy efficiency, distributed energy resources and zero emission credits. Such transparency statement shall provide a percentage of the foregoing charges as applied to the average bill of a customer of such utility.
§ 2. Section 1005 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a new subdivision 26 to read as follows:
26. Commencing on January first, two thousand twenty-one, the authority, on an annual basis, shall provide each customer with an annual transparency statement which shall detail the following charges on a gross basis which are included in each customer's delivery service portion of their utility bill, including but not limited to: (i) property taxes; (ii) sales and compensating use taxes; (iii) costs and expenses of the authority and the public service commission pursuant to section eighteen-a of the public service law; (iv) gross receipts taxes; (v) franchise and income taxes; (vi) metropolitan transportation authority payroll taxes; and (vii) fees, charges and costs imposed by the authority which are embedded in the customer bill. Such fees, charges and costs shall include costs from the implementation of reforming energy vision, energy efficiency, distributed energy resources and zero emission credits. Such transparency statement shall provide a percentage of the foregoing charges as applied to the average bill of a customer of such utility.
§ 3. Sections 1020-jj, 1020-kk, and 1020-ll of the public authorities law, as renumbered by chapter 415 of the laws of 2017, are renumbered sections 1020-xx, 1020-yy, and 1020-zz and a new section 1020-jj is added to read as follows:
§ 1020-jj. Customer bills. Commencing on January first, two thousand twenty-one, the authority, on an annual basis, shall provide each customer with an annual transparency statement which shall detail the following charges on a gross basis which are included in each customer's delivery service portion of their utility bill, including but not limited to: (i) property taxes; (ii) sales and compensating use taxes; (iii) costs and expenses of the authority and the public service commission pursuant to section eighteen-a of the public service law; (iv) gross receipts taxes; (v) franchise and income taxes; (vi) metropolitan transportation authority payroll taxes; and (vii) fees, charges and costs imposed by the authority which are embedded in the customer bill. Such fees, charges and costs shall include costs from the implementation of reforming energy vision, energy efficiency, distributed energy resources and zero emission credits. Such transparency statement shall provide a percentage of the foregoing charges as applied to the average bill of a customer of such utility.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public service law and the public authorities law, in relation to requiring combination gas and electric corporations, the New York Power Authority and the Long Island Power Authority to provide an annual transparency statement to customers
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would require every combination gas and electric corporation, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), to provide each customer with an annual transparency statement, which shall detail charges on a gross basis included in each customer's delivery service portion of their utility bill including various taxes as well as charges and costs imposed by the public service commission that are embedded in the customer bill.
Summary of specific provisions
Amends the Public Service Law and the Public Authorities Law to provide that commencing on January 1, 2020, every combination gas and electric corporation, NYPA, and LIPA, on an annual basis shall provide each customer with an annual transparency statement which shall detail charg- es included in each customer's delivery service portion of their utility bill, including property taxes, sales and compensating use taxes, costs and expenses of the Department of Public Service, gross receipts taxes, franchise and income taxes, MTA authority payroll taxes and fees, charg- es and costs imposed by the Public Service Commission which are embedded in the customer bill.
Provides for an immediate effective date.
Justification
Electric bills are increasingly complex with numerous components. The electric industry in New York State is in transition as the Public Service Commission (PSC) implements Reforming the Energy Vision. In addition, the Clean Energy Standard has been adopted by the PSC. These programs will result in mandates on combination gas and electric corpo- rations, which will translate into additional costs for electric custom- ers. The charges on the electric utility bill are simplistically listed for delivery services and supply services. There are multiple constitu- ent costs included in supply services, which are continuing to evolve under the new regulatory regime.
The requirement for combination gas and electric corporations, NYPA and LIPA, to provide an annual transparency statement will assist customers in eliminating confusion about their bills. It will also eliminate the perception by many that the complexity is designed to conceal the cost structure. An annual transparency statement provides the consumer with an opportunity to examine and understand what costs are on their bill. The delineation of charges such as legacy transition, municipal under- ground, clean energy deliver, systems benefit, zero emissions credit, state and local taxes provides the consumer with a detailed view of what is behind the delivery services charge and its percentage impact on their electric bill.
This information will encourage customers to be more cognizant of the PSC's role in the cost of electricity on their bill. Many consumers do not appreciate the costs, which are included in the delivery services portion of their bill. These various charges constitute significant cost drivers in their utility bill. This legislation is intended to increase awareness, which could result in increased public participation and interest in the PSC proceedings by members of the general public. The charges on each customer's bill denotes public policy choices. This bill would illuminate those choices.
Prior legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
None
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.