NY State Senate Bill 2019-S6796

Senate Bill S6796

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Relates to prohibiting charging different rates, charges, price differentials or fees based upon the type of meter a customer uses

download bill text pdf

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

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 08, 2020	referred to energy and telecommunications
Oct 23, 2019	referred to rules

2019-S6796 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §39, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S241

2019-S6796 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits the commission from making a regulation or allowing a tariff that imposes a fee, surcharge, cost or creates a cost differential for a customer for having an analog meter, digital meter, automated meter reading equipped meter, advanced metering infrastructure equipped meter or manual meter so long as such customer provides access and allows for metering in compliance with the rules, regulations and tariffs as the commission may impose.

2019-S6796 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S6796

SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the public service law, in relation to
prohibiting charging different rates based upon the type of meter a
customer uses

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is prevent utilities from penalizing customers
that choose not to use a smart meter.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 disallows a utility corporation or municipality from imposing
a different rate, charge, price or fees based upon the type of meter
that a customer uses.

Section 2 sets the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:

Increasingly, utilities are installing automated meters reading equipped
meter or advanced metering infrastructure equipped meters commonly known
as "smart meters" across the state. For example, ConEdison has begun
switching all customers in Brooklyn and Westchester to the "smart
meters". While there is a choice to opt out, ConEd charges an additional
$9.50 per month for customers that opt to remain with traditional
meters. This charge is for a service that was traditional performed by
the utility, namely "meter reading". Utilities claim that customers that
opt out are costing them more based on the extra manpower needed to
continue reading a meter after a neighborhood has switched to smart
meters. Yet, when applying for their most recent tariff, after the
change to smart meters began, ConEd once again asked for a rate
increase, passing none of the "savings" created by smart meters on to
the consumer.

Additionally, many individuals have concerns regarding smart meters,
including privacy and health concerns. Many individuals worry about what
information smart meters can collect and what information will be trans-
mitted back to utility companies. With the proliferation of smart
meters, there are increased fears about the health risks caused by smart
meters and the added volume of radio frequencies that individuals are
being exposed to.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect thirty (30) days after becoming law.

2019-S6796 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6796
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             October 23, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAYER  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the public  service  law,  in  relation  to  prohibiting
   charging different rates based upon the type of meter a customer uses
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 39 of the public service law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
   5. A UTILITY CORPORATION OR MUNICIPALITY SHALL  NOT  IMPOSE  DIFFERENT
 RATES, CHARGES, PRICE DIFFERENTIALS OR FEES BASED UPON THE TYPE OF METER
 THAT  A CUSTOMER USES. THE COMMISSION SHALL MAKE NO REGULATION AND ALLOW
 NO TARIFF THAT SHALL IMPOSE A FEE, SURCHARGE, COST  OR  CREATES  A  COST
 DIFFERENTIAL  FOR  A CUSTOMER FOR HAVING AN ANALOG METER, DIGITAL METER,
 AUTOMATED METER READING EQUIPPED METER, ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE
 EQUIPPED METER OR MANUAL METER SO LONG AS SUCH CUSTOMER PROVIDES  ACCESS
 AND  ALLOWS  FOR  METERING IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RULES, REGULATIONS AND
 TARIFFS AS THE COMMISSION MAY IMPOSE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.
 
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13589-02-9

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