What's happening
This bill expands automated enrollment of public assistance recipients into utility affordability programs to include water service, not just energy.
Why it matters
Broader Access to Financial Relief. By including water service in the automated enrollment process, more low-income New Yorkers will have access to affordability programs, helping them avoid water shutoffs due to unpaid bills—a growing concern as water rates rise in many communities.
Streamlined Enrollment Reduces Barriers. The automation removes the burden from individuals to apply separately for water affordability programs, which is especially important for vulnerable populations who may face language, technological, or bureaucratic hurdles.
Improved Public Health Outcomes. Reliable access to water is critical for health and sanitation. Ensuring affordability for water services helps prevent disruptions that can lead to public health crises, especially for households with children, elderly, or medically vulnerable members.
Enhanced Data Coordination Among Agencies. The bill requires ongoing, semi-annual data sharing and matching between social services and utility providers, potentially strengthening inter-agency collaboration and making it easier to identify and assist those in need across multiple basic services.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Auto-Enroll Water Bill Aid
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Substituted by S766
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.74
- Rules report cal.74
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Referred to social services
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.
Make Water Bills More Affordable
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
918
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to automated identification of OTDA program participants for participation in utility corporation affordability programs for water service affordability
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraphs (d) and (e) of subdivision 1 and subdivision 2 of section 131-ss of the social services law, as amended by a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the social services law relating to automated identification of OTDA assistance program participants, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 9100 and A. 9522, are amended to read as follows:
(d) "Utility corporation" shall include utility companies, utility corporations, public utility companies, public utility corporations, gas corporations, electric corporations, municipalities as defined in section two of the public service law and regulated pursuant to the public service law, water-works corporations subject to section fifty of the public service law, a municipal corporation that provides public utility services, a rural electric cooperative, or a state public authority that provides utility services.
(e) "Utility corporation [energy] affordability programs" shall be defined by the public service commission and shall be limited to utility corporation programs which are intended to assist customers with energy or water service affordability by reducing customers' energy or water service burden, as applicable.
2. Within one year of the effective date of this section, the commissioner shall provide for automated identification of OTDA assistance program participants for participation in utility corporation [energy or water service] affordability programs for energy affordability pursuant
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02907-01-5
to subdivision four of this section. Within one year and six months of the effective date of this section, the commissioner shall provide for automated identification of OTDA program participants for participation in utility corporation affordability programs for water service affordability pursuant to subdivision four of this section.
§ 2. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 4 of section 131-ss of the social services law, paragraph (a) as amended and paragraph (b) as added by chapter 78 of the laws of 2024, are amended to read as follows:
(a) To the extent permitted by federal law, regulations and policies, the office, upon the utility corporation agreeing to and signing the office's data terms and upon receipt of the required data elements from the utility corporation, as such data elements are defined by the office, shall conduct automated file matching to identify utility corporation customer accounts that are also OTDA assistance program participants and, if permitted by federal law, regulations and policies, such information shall be provided to utility corporations no less than semiannually. Utility corporation customer accounts identified by the office as potentially eligible for participation in available utility corporation [energy] affordability programs as a result of such file matching shall be, if confirmed as eligible for such utility corporation [energy] affordability programs by the utility corporation, enrolled in such utility corporation [energy] affordability programs by the utility corporation within sixty days of receipt by the utility corporation of the results of the automated file match. Any information provided to the utility corporations related to OTDA assistance program participants pursuant to this section shall not be redisclosed by the utility corporation and shall only be utilized for the purpose of confirming eligibility in the utility corporation [energy] affordability program and providing notifications pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subdivision.
(b) Upon automatic enrollment in the utility corporation [energy] affordability program, the utility corporation shall provide written notification to the utility corporation [energy] affordability program participant of their enrollment in such program.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the social services law relating to automated identification of OTDA assistance program participants, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 9100 and A. 9522, takes effect.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
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