Senate Bill S8879

2019-2020 Legislative Session

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

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules 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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2019-S8879 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Rules
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §77-a, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2017-2018: S8523
2021-2022: S3784
2023-2024: S1623

2019-S8879 (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.

2019-S8879 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2019-S8879 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8879
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              August 7, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. CARLUCCI -- 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 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
 THE  BUSINESS  OWNER WITHIN FOURTEEN DAYS OF THE RECEIPT OF THE ITEMIZED
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

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