What's happening
This bill requires utility companies or municipalities to notify customers online if their energy supply rate increases by 100% or more from the previous month.
Why it matters
Improves consumer awareness and transparency. By requiring utilities to notify customers online about major rate hikes, the bill empowers consumers to make informed decisions—such as adjusting usage, budgeting more effectively, or seeking alternative suppliers.
Encourages utility accountability. Public, conspicuous disclosure of sharp rate increases can pressure utilities and municipalities to better justify such changes and may incentivize them to avoid unexpected, drastic price surges.
Helps protect vulnerable customers. Sudden doubling of energy supply rates can disproportionately impact low- and fixed-income households; early notification allows these customers to seek assistance, plan ahead, or voice concerns before high bills arrive.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Notify Utilities Rate Hikes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Held for consideration in corporations, authorities and commissions
- 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
3155
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BYRNE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring the notification of a public utility company's or municipality's customers when the supply rate increases by at least one hundred percent
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 44-a to read as follows:
§ 44-a. Increase in energy supply rate; customer notification. When a public utility company or municipality which supplies energy determines that an actual or projected energy supply rate is at least one hundred percent over the prior month's energy supply rate, such public utility company or municipality shall notify their customers by conspicuously posting on their website their energy supply rate as well as the percent increase in such rate from the prior month.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03096-01-9
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.