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Senate Bill S8523

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Requires utility companies to reimburse consumers in the event of a prolonged power outage

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

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2017-S8523 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §77-a, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: S8879
2021-2022: S3784
2023-2024: S1623
2025-2026: S1846

2017-S8523 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires utility companies to reimburse consumers for spoilage of food and medication due to the lack of refrigeration in the event of a power outage lasting seventy-two hours or more; imposes a fine of no less than one thousand dollars.

2017-S8523 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S8523 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8523
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 9, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring utility
   companies  to  reimburse  consumers  in the event of a prolonged power
   outage
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section
 77-a to read as follows:
   § 77-A. UTILITY REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENTS.  1. IN THE  EVENT  THAT  A
 RESIDENTIAL  HOME EXPERIENCES A POWER OUTAGE LASTING SEVENTY-TWO CONSEC-
 UTIVE HOURS OR MORE WITHOUT HAVING BEEN RESOLVED BY THE UTILITY COMPANY,
 THE UTILITY COMPANY SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FOLLOWING:
   (A) FULL REIMBURSEMENT OF ANY FOOD SPOILED DUE TO  LACK  OF  REFRIGER-
 ATION.   CUSTOMERS SHALL PROVIDE THE UTILITY COMPANY AN ITEMIZED LIST OF
 ALL FOOD SPOILED OR PROOF  OF  PURCHASE  WITHIN  FOURTEEN  DAYS  OF  THE
 OUTAGE. THE UTILITY COMPANY SHALL REIMBURSE THE CUSTOMER WITHIN FOURTEEN
 DAYS  OF  THE  RECEIPT  OF  THE  ITEMIZED LIST OR PROOF OF PURCHASE. THE
 AMOUNT OF THE REIMBURSEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED  A  TOTAL  OF  TWO  HUNDRED
 TWENTY-FIVE  DOLLARS  FOR  CUSTOMERS  WHO  PROVIDE AN ITEMIZED LIST. THE
 AMOUNT OF THE  REIMBURSEMENT  FOR  CUSTOMERS  WHO  PROVIDE  AN  ITEMIZED
 RECEIPT MAY RECEIVE THE FULL AMOUNT TO COVER FOOD SPOILED.
   (B)  FULL  REIMBURSEMENT  OF  ANY  MEDICATION  SPOILED  DUE TO LACK OF
 REFRIGERATION. CUSTOMERS SHALL PROVIDE THE UTILITY COMPANY  AN  ITEMIZED
 LIST  AND  PROOF  OF MEDICATION LOST DUE TO LACK OF REFRIGERATION WITHIN
 FOURTEEN DAYS OF THE OUTAGE. PROOF  MAY  INCLUDE  PHARMACY  PRESCRIPTION
 LABEL,  PHARMACY RECEIPT OR A LETTER FROM THE PRESCRIBING PHYSICIAN. THE
 UTILITY COMPANY SHALL REIMBURSE THE CUSTOMER WITHIN FOURTEEN DAYS OF THE
 RECEIPT OF THE ITEMIZED LIST AND PROOF OF MEDICATION LOST.
   (C) FULL REIMBURSEMENT TO LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS FOR ANY  FOOD  SPOILED
 DUE  TO  LACK OF REFRIGERATION. BUSINESS OWNERS WILL PROVIDE THE UTILITY
 COMPANY WITH AN ITEMIZED LIST FOR ALL FOOD SPOILED OR PROOF OF  PURCHASE
 WITHIN  FOURTEEN DAYS OF THE OUTAGE. THE UTILITY COMPANY SHALL REIMBURSE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

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