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Assembly Bill A4497B

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to establishing minimum standards for payment plans for eligible customers

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

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Bill Amendments

2023-A4497 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S1199
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §37-a, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2021-2022: A10479, S8984
2025-2026: A4105, S1327

2023-A4497 - Summary

Relates to establishing minimum standards for payment plans for eligible customers; requires the public service commission to set standards for payment plans for certain customers including reasonableness of agreements and timelines for payment; establishes eligibility.

2023-A4497 - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4497
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 16, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  CUNNINGHAM  -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Energy
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service  law,  in  relation  to  establishing
   minimum standards for payment plans for eligible customers
 
   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
 66-u to read as follows:
   §  66-U.  MINIMUM  STANDARDS  FOR  PAYMENT PLANS. 1. THE COMMISSION IS
 AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO SET STANDARDS FOR PAYMENT PLANS FOR  ELIGIBLE
 CUSTOMERS SET UP BY UTILITY COMPANIES. SUCH STANDARDS SHALL INCLUDE:
   (A) WHETHER A PAYMENT AGREEMENT IS REASONABLE. REASONABLENESS SHALL BE
 DETERMINED  BY CONSIDERING THE CURRENT HOUSEHOLD INCOME, ABILITY TO PAY,
 PAYMENT HISTORY INCLUDING PRIOR DEFAULTS ON SIMILAR AGREEMENTS, THE SIZE
 OF THE BILL, THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND THE REASONS WHY THE  BILL  HAS  BEEN
 OUTSTANDING,  AND  ANY  SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES CREATING EXTREME HARDSHIPS
 WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD. THE UTILITY COMPANY  MAY  REQUIRE  THE  PERSON  TO
 CONFIRM  FINANCIAL  DIFFICULTY WITH AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM ANOTHER STATE
 OR LOCAL AGENCY;
   (B) REQUIRING EACH UTILITY COMPANY TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO  ITS  RESIDEN-
 TIAL  CUSTOMERS  FOR  UTILITY SERVICE PROVIDED AT THE CUSTOMER'S PRIMARY
 RESIDENCE A PAYMENT PLAN WHICH AVERAGES ESTIMATED UTILITY COSTS  OVER  A
 TEN-MONTH  OR TWELVE-MONTH PERIOD TO ELIMINATE, INSOFAR AS IT IS PRACTI-
 CABLE, SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS IN UTILITY BILLS;
   (C) REQUIRING EACH UTILITY COMPANY TO PERMIT EACH CUSTOMER A PERIOD OF
 NOT LESS THAN TWENTY-ONE DAYS FROM THE DATE THE BILL WAS SENT TO PAY  IN
 FULL, UNLESS THE CUSTOMER AND THE UTILITY AGREE ON A DIFFERENT DUE DATE.
 A  UTILITY  COMPANY  SHALL  NOT WITHDRAW FUNDS FROM A CUSTOMER'S ACCOUNT
 BEFORE THE DUE DATE IN CASES WHERE A CUSTOMER  USES  AN  AUTOMATIC  BILL
 PAYMENT PLAN UNLESS THE CUSTOMER AGREES TO A DIFFERENT PERIOD;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04259-01-3
 A. 4497                             2

co-Sponsors

2023-A4497A - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S1199
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §37-a, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2021-2022: A10479, S8984
2025-2026: A4105, S1327

2023-A4497A - Summary

Relates to establishing minimum standards for payment plans for eligible customers; requires the public service commission to set standards for payment plans for certain customers including reasonableness of agreements and timelines for payment; establishes eligibility.

2023-A4497A - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4497--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 16, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  CUNNINGHAM  -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Energy -- committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  public service law, in relation to establishing
   minimum standards for payment plans for eligible customers

   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
 66-v to read as follows:
   § 66-V. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR PAYMENT  PLANS.  1.  THE  COMMISSION  IS
 AUTHORIZED  AND DIRECTED TO SET STANDARDS FOR PAYMENT PLANS FOR ELIGIBLE
 CUSTOMERS SET UP BY UTILITY COMPANIES. SUCH STANDARDS SHALL INCLUDE:
   (A) WHETHER A PAYMENT AGREEMENT IS REASONABLE. REASONABLENESS SHALL BE
 DETERMINED BY CONSIDERING THE CURRENT HOUSEHOLD INCOME, ABILITY TO  PAY,
 PAYMENT HISTORY INCLUDING PRIOR DEFAULTS ON SIMILAR AGREEMENTS, THE SIZE
 OF  THE  BILL,  THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND THE REASONS WHY THE BILL HAS BEEN
 OUTSTANDING, AND ANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES  CREATING  EXTREME  HARDSHIPS
 WITHIN  THE  HOUSEHOLD.  THE  UTILITY  COMPANY MAY REQUIRE THE PERSON TO
 CONFIRM FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY WITH AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM  ANOTHER  STATE
 OR LOCAL AGENCY;
   (B)  REQUIRING  EACH UTILITY COMPANY TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO ITS RESIDEN-
 TIAL CUSTOMERS FOR UTILITY SERVICE PROVIDED AT  THE  CUSTOMER'S  PRIMARY
 RESIDENCE  A  PAYMENT PLAN WHICH AVERAGES ESTIMATED UTILITY COSTS OVER A
 TEN-MONTH OR TWELVE-MONTH PERIOD TO ELIMINATE, INSOFAR AS IT IS  PRACTI-
 CABLE, SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS IN UTILITY BILLS;
   (C) REQUIRING EACH UTILITY COMPANY TO PERMIT EACH CUSTOMER A PERIOD OF
 NOT  LESS THAN TWENTY-ONE DAYS FROM THE DATE THE BILL WAS SENT TO PAY IN
 FULL, UNLESS THE CUSTOMER AND THE UTILITY AGREE ON A DIFFERENT DUE DATE.
 A UTILITY COMPANY SHALL NOT WITHDRAW FUNDS  FROM  A  CUSTOMER'S  ACCOUNT
 BEFORE  THE  DUE  DATE  IN CASES WHERE A CUSTOMER USES AN AUTOMATIC BILL
 PAYMENT PLAN UNLESS THE CUSTOMER AGREES TO A DIFFERENT PERIOD;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04259-03-3

co-Sponsors

2023-A4497B (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S1199
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §37-a, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2021-2022: A10479, S8984
2025-2026: A4105, S1327

2023-A4497B (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to establishing minimum standards for payment plans for eligible customers; requires the public service commission to set standards for payment plans for certain customers including reasonableness of agreements and timelines for payment; establishes eligibility.

2023-A4497B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4497--B
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 16, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  CUNNINGHAM  -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Energy -- committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted  as  amended  and  recommitted  to  said  committee -- again
   reported from said committee with  amendments,  ordered  reprinted  as
   amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  public service law, in relation to establishing
   minimum standards for payment plans for eligible customers
 
   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
 37-a to read as follows:
   § 37-A. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR PAYMENT  PLANS.  1.  THE  COMMISSION  IS
 AUTHORIZED  AND DIRECTED TO SET STANDARDS FOR PAYMENT PLANS FOR ELIGIBLE
 CUSTOMERS SET UP BY UTILITY COMPANIES. SUCH STANDARDS SHALL INCLUDE:
   (A) WHETHER A PAYMENT AGREEMENT, INCLUDING ANY DOWN  PAYMENT  REQUIRE-
 MENTS,  IS REASONABLE. REASONABLENESS SHALL BE DETERMINED BY CONSIDERING
 THE CURRENT HOUSEHOLD INCOME, ABILITY TO PAY, PAYMENT HISTORY  INCLUDING
 PRIOR  DEFAULTS  ON SIMILAR AGREEMENTS, THE SIZE OF THE BILL, THE AMOUNT
 OF TIME AND THE REASONS WHY THE  BILL  HAS  BEEN  OUTSTANDING,  AND  ANY
 SPECIAL  CIRCUMSTANCES  CREATING EXTREME HARDSHIPS WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD.
 THE UTILITY COMPANY MAY REQUIRE THE PERSON TO CONFIRM  FINANCIAL  DIFFI-
 CULTY WITH AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM ANOTHER STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY;
   (B) REQUIRING EACH UTILITY COMPANY TO PERMIT EACH CUSTOMER A PERIOD OF
 NOT  LESS THAN TWENTY-ONE DAYS FROM THE DATE THE BILL WAS SENT TO PAY IN
 FULL, UNLESS THE CUSTOMER AND THE UTILITY AGREE ON A DIFFERENT DUE DATE.
 A UTILITY COMPANY SHALL NOT WITHDRAW FUNDS  FROM  A  CUSTOMER'S  ACCOUNT
 BEFORE  THE  DUE  DATE  IN CASES WHERE A CUSTOMER USES AN AUTOMATIC BILL
 PAYMENT PLAN UNLESS THE CUSTOMER AGREES TO A DIFFERENT PERIOD;
   (C) IN THE EVENT A RATE CHANGE  APPROVED  BY  THE  COMMISSION  BECOMES
 EFFECTIVE  OR  IN THE EVENT THE SUPPLY PORTION OF A CUSTOMER'S BILL WILL
 BE TEN PERCENT OR HIGHER THAN THE SUPPLY COST  FROM  THE  PRIOR  BILLING
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04259-08-3

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