S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2811
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
March 3, 2009
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Introduced by Sens. VOLKER, BONACIC, DeFRANCISCO, FUSCHILLO, HANNON,
LANZA, LARKIN, LAVALLE, SEWARD -- read twice and ordered printed, and
when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommu-
nications
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to utility service
call centers
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 11 of section 65 of the public service law, as
added by chapter 693 of the laws of 1985, is renumbered subdivision 12
and a new subdivision 13 is added to read as follows:
13. EVERY GAS CORPORATION, ELECTRIC CORPORATION OR MUNICIPALITY
FURNISHING UTILITY SERVICE SHALL, USING SERVICES LOCATED WITHIN THIS
STATE AND WITHIN THEIR SERVICE AREA, PROVIDE CALL CENTER SERVICE ASSIST-
ANCE FOR THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:
(A) DETERMINING CUSTOMER FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
(B) TAKING REQUESTS FOR NEW OR ADDITIONAL SERVICES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, EMERGENCY SERVICE.
(C) DETERMINING DEPOSIT REQUIRED OR BILLING RATE.
(D) PREPARING METER AND SERVICE ORDERS AND OBTAINING ACCESS TO METERS.
(E) EXPLAINING COMPANY RATES, REGULATIONS, POLICIES, PROCEDURES,
EQUIPMENT AND COMMON PRACTICES.
(F) INVESTIGATING TROUBLE ORDER FORMS AND INITIATING HIGH BILL INVES-
TIGATIONS.
(G) HANDLING PAYMENT AND OTHER CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS SUCH AS OBTAINING
DEPOSITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND PAYMENT PLANS.
(H) REFERRING CUSTOMERS TO SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND OTHER ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAMS.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January in the year
next succeeding the year in which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09396-01-9