Assembly Bill A10534A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10534
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 6, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BURDICK -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Energy
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation  to  establishing  a
   standardized rate application template
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds that
 rate increase applications filed by  gas,  electric,  water,  and  other
 regulated  utilities before the New York state public service commission
 vary widely in format, calculation methodology, and explanatory  detail.
 This  lack  of  uniformity  impedes  meaningful  review  by  regulators,
 intervenors, and the public, and  makes  comparison  across  rate  cases
 difficult.
   The  legislature  therefore declares that it is in the public interest
 to  require  standardized,  transparent,  and  clearly  explained   rate
 increase  filings in order to promote accountability, comparability, and
 informed decision making.
   § 2. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 27-a to
 read as follows:
   § 27-A. STANDARDIZED UTILITY RATE CASE FILINGS. 1. DEFINITIONS.    FOR
 THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOW-
 ING MEANINGS:
   (A) "RATE APPLICATION" MEANS ANY PETITION, FILING, OR SUBMISSION SEEK-
 ING APPROVAL OF A GENERAL RATE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION TO RATES, CHARG-
 ES, OR TARIFFS PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER.
   (B)  "UTILITY"  MEANS ANY ELECTRIC, GAS, STEAM, WATER, OR TELECOMMUNI-
 CATIONS CORPORATION SUBJECT TO RATE REGULATION PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER.
   2. STANDARDIZED RATE APPLICATION TEMPLATE. (A) THE  COMMISSION  SHALL,
 BY  RULE OR ORDER, ESTABLISH A STANDARDIZED RATE APPLICATION TEMPLATE TO
 BE USED BY ALL UTILITIES FILING RATE APPLICATIONS.
   (B) THE STANDARDIZED TEMPLATE SHALL REQUIRE  UNIFORM  PRESENTATION  OF
 INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I)  AN  EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY  OF  THE  PROPOSED RATE INCREASE AND TOTAL
 REVENUE REQUEST;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD15085-01-6
 A. 10534                            2
 
   (II) THE PROJECTED BILL IMPACTS BY CUSTOMER CLASS;
   (III)  A  DETAILED  BREAKDOWN  OF OPERATING EXPENSES, CAPITAL EXPENDI-
 TURES, AND RATE BASE COMPONENTS;
   (IV) HISTORICAL AND FORECASTED TEST YEAR DATA PRESENTED IN A  CONSIST-
 ENT FORMAT;
   (V) A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF CURRENT RATES AND PROPOSED RATES; AND
   (VI)  ANY ADDITIONAL SCHEDULES OR EXHIBITS THE COMMISSION DEEMS NECES-
 SARY FOR COMPLETE REVIEW.
   (C) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED BY THE COMMISSION, ALL RATE  APPLI-
 CATIONS SHALL BE SUBMITTED USING THE STANDARDIZED TEMPLATE.
   3.   UNIFORM  CALCULATION  METHODOLOGIES.  (A)  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL
 PRESCRIBE UNIFORM CALCULATION METHODOLOGIES FOR  KEY  ELEMENTS  OF  RATE
 APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) REVENUE REQUIREMENT CALCULATIONS;
   (II) COST OF CAPITAL AND RETURN ON EQUITY DETERMINATIONS;
   (III) DEPRECIATION, AMORTIZATION, AND PLANT-IN-SERVICE CALCULATIONS;
   (IV) ALLOCATION OF COSTS AMONG CUSTOMER CLASSES; AND
   (V) FORECASTING ASSUMPTIONS USED IN TEST YEAR ANALYSES.
   (B)  UTILITIES  SHALL  APPLY  THE PRESCRIBED METHODOLOGIES IN ALL RATE
 APPLICATIONS UNLESS THE COMMISSION GRANTS A WRITTEN WAIVER UPON A  SHOW-
 ING OF GOOD CAUSE.
   4. EXPLANATION OF CALCULATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS. (A) EACH RATE APPLICA-
 TION  SHALL  INCLUDE A CLEAR AND COMPREHENSIVE EXPLANATION OF ALL CALCU-
 LATIONS USED, INCLUDING:
   (I) IDENTIFICATION OF  ALL  FORMULAS  AND  MATHEMATICAL  METHODOLOGIES
 EMPLOYED;
   (II) THE SOURCE OF ALL DATA INPUTS;
   (III)  ALL  MATERIAL ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING FORECASTS AND PROJECTIONS;
 AND
   (IV)_AN EXPLANATION OF ANY CHANGES FROM METHODOLOGIES  OR  ASSUMPTIONS
 USED IN THE UTILITY'S PRIOR RATE CASE.
   (B)  SUPPORTING SCHEDULES AND WORKPAPERS SHALL BE PROVIDED IN A FORMAT
 THAT ALLOWS COMMISSION STAFF, INTERVENORS, AND THE PUBLIC  TO  REPLICATE
 AND VERIFY THE CALCULATIONS.
   5.  COMPLETENESS REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT. (A) THE COMMISSION MAY DETER-
 MINE THAT A RATE APPLICATION IS INCOMPLETE IF IT FAILS  TO  COMPLY  WITH
 THE STANDARDIZED TEMPLATE OR METHODOLOGY REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED PURSU-
 ANT TO THIS SECTION.
   (B)  THE  COMMISSION  MAY REJECT, SUSPEND, OR REQUIRE AMENDMENT OF ANY
 NONCOMPLIANT FILING UNTIL SUCH DEFICIENCIES ARE CURED.
   6. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY. ALL RATE APPLICATIONS,  INCLUDING  EXPLANATORY
 MATERIALS  AND  CALCULATION WORKPAPERS, SHALL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
 ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE, SUBJECT TO  EXISTING  PROVISIONS  GOVERNING
 CONFIDENTIAL OR PROPRIETARY INFORMATION.
   7.  RULEMAKING  AUTHORITY.  THE COMMISSION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE
 RULES AND ISSUE ORDERS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS
 OF THIS SECTION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
 law  and  shall  apply  to  all rate applications filed on or after such
 date.