What's happening
This bill prohibits utility companies from raising rates to cover costs related to hiring temporary workers during labor disputes.
Why it matters
Protects ratepayers from bearing the cost of labor disputes. This bill ensures that utility companies cannot pass on the extra expenses of hiring temporary or replacement workers during strikes or labor conflicts to customers through increased rates.
Creates financial pressure for utilities to resolve labor disputes quickly. By disallowing rate hikes to cover temporary labor costs, utilities have more incentive to negotiate fairly and settle with permanent employees, potentially leading to shorter or less frequent labor disruptions.
Prevents indirect weakening of labor rights. If utilities could shift the cost of hiring non-permanent workers onto customers, they would face less risk in enduring or prolonging labor disputes. This bill helps maintain a more balanced power dynamic between workers and management.
Encourages greater transparency and accountability in utility rate-setting. The amendment clarifies what costs utilities can and cannot recover through rate increases, making it clearer for regulators and the public to scrutinize utility spending during labor actions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Block Strike-Related Rate Hikes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
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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
132
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
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.
LBD01951-01-9
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.