What's happening
This bill requires utility companies to notify customers on their bills about upcoming public hearings on proposed rate increases.
Why it matters
Enhances consumer awareness. By requiring utilities to notify customers directly on their bills about upcoming public hearings on rate increases, the law aims to make it much harder for customers to miss important information that could affect their monthly expenses.
Empowers public participation. Increased awareness means more customers can attend or comment at hearings, giving the public a greater voice in decisions about utility rates that impact their household budgets.
Promotes transparency and accountability. Utilities would be held to a higher standard of openness, making it more difficult for rate changes to occur without meaningful public scrutiny or input.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Hearing Notices on Bills
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 8
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.232
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.117
- 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.
Notify Rate Hike Hearings
In Senate Committee · Energy And Telecommunications · Sponsor Kimberly Jean-Pierre
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1709
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring utility companies to include a notice of public hearings concerning rate increases
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. Every utility corporation shall include on their bills sent to their customers advance notice of the date and place of any and all public hearings, including but not limited to hearings before the commission, concerning proposed increases in rates of such utility corporation known to such utility corporation at the time of the preparation of such bills.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06838-01-9
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, in relation to requiring utility companies to include a notice of public hearings concerning rate increases
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to require that utility companies post notification of the date and location of proposed hearings concerning rate hikes on monthly bills.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. amends section 44 of the public service law by adding a new subdivision 6 which provides that every public utility corporation will include advance notice of public hearings relating to proposed rate hikes on customer bills
Section 2. is the enacting clause.
Justification
Utility rate hikes over the years have been the subject of tremendous controversy. Many consumers feel that the present system of notification is inadequate, and that the most common method of notification occurs after the fact via the media. or the actual increase in the monthly payment. This legislation is intended to address the issue of inadequate notification by requiring utility companies to post the date and location of scheduled hearings on the customer's bill for service. This is a more appropriate method of notifying consumers so that they may plan to attend the hearing, or submit comments.
Fiscal implications
None to the state
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.