NY State Senate Bill S7858

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

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In Committee
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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 26, 2020	referred to energy and telecommunications

Votes

view votes

Mar 10, 2020 - Energy and Telecommunications committee Vote

S7858

committee

Aye

Nay

Aye with Reservations

Absent

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show Energy and Telecommunications committee vote details

Energy and Telecommunications Committee Vote: Mar 10, 2020

aye (6)

nay (1)

Ortt

aye wr (2)

Co-Sponsors

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §114-a, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S1556

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Disallows the cost recovery for membership dues of any entity that engages in legislative lobbying activities.

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

 
BILL NUMBER: S7858

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to utility member-
ship dues used for lobbying activities

 
PURPOSE:

The proposed legislation will prevent public utility companies from
circumventing pre-existing law that already precludes these companies
from charging their customers the cost of legislative lobbying.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 114-a of the Public Service law to add addi-
tional language that will prevent utility companies from charging the
cost of membership dues to customers, when such membership dues are for
membership in a lobbying organization, association, institution or
corporation.

Section 2 provides that the act shall take effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Under current law, electric and gas utility companies cannot charge the
cost of legislative lobbying to customers. However, these utility compa-
nies charge customers for the cost of belonging to trade associations.
Often, these trade associations are lobbying at both the state and
federal level for policy that goes against the interest of New York
ratepayers. The trade association provides an invoice to the utility
company that identifies the percentage of lobbying activities as part of
the bill - often less than twenty percent - which is removed from the
amount included in rates. The utility company passes along the remaining
cost to customers without any requirement or burden of proof in how the
funds are used by the trade association or other entity. This bill would
prevent utility companies from charging customers the cost of membership
dues for belonging to any trade association, organization, institution,
corporation, or other entity that engages in legislative lobbying.  This
will ensure that New York ratepayers do not subsidize the political
activities of groups that may seek to influence policy against their
interest. If a utility company believes it is in the interest of the
corporation to belong to such a group, it may charge the cost of member-
ship dues to the shareholders.  Legislative History: New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The act shall take effect immediately

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf


                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7858

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 26, 2020
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- 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 utility member-
  ship dues used for lobbying activities

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1. Section 114-a of the public service law, as added by chap-
ter 334 of the laws of 1979, is amended to read as follows:
  § 114-a. Rates not to include cost of legislative lobbying. In  deter-
mining  rates  to be charged customers, the commission shall not include
the cost of legislative lobbying on behalf of any public utility as part
of any such utility's operational costs AND  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL  NOT
INCLUDE  THE  COST OF MEMBERSHIP DUES FOR ANY ORGANIZATION, ASSOCIATION,
INSTITUTION, CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER ENTITY THAT ENGAGES IN LEGISLATIVE
LOBBYING AS PART OF ANY SUCH UTILITY'S OPERATIONAL COSTS.   As  used  in
this section, legislative lobbying shall mean and include any attempt by
any  person  on  behalf  of a public utility to influence the passage or
defeat of any legislation by either house  of  the  legislature  or  the
congress,  or  the  approval  or  disapproval  of any legislation by the
governor; provided however, legislative lobbying shall not  include  any
appearance  by any person on behalf of a public utility before a commit-
tee of either house of the legislature or the congress  where  any  such
appearance is at the request of any such committee.
  § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.




 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14648-02-0

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The New York State Senate

senate Bill S7858

Sponsored By

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

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Votes

Mar 10, 2020 - Energy and Telecommunications committee Vote

Energy and Telecommunications Committee Vote: Mar 10, 2020

Co-Sponsors

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Details

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

senate Bill S7858

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Sponsored By

Kevin S. Parker

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

Your Voice

Actions

Votes

Mar 10, 2020 - Energy and Telecommunications committee Vote

Energy and Telecommunications Committee Vote: Mar 10, 2020

Co-Sponsors

David Carlucci

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Details

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S7858 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments