Assembly Bill A9174

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9174
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 12, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. SHRESTHA -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring inve-
   stor-owned energy utilities to collect and publish data  on  disadvan-
   taged communities in certain service areas
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "disadvantaged communities commitment act".
   §  2.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section 28 to
 read as follows:
   § 28. DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A) "INVESTOR-OWNED ENERGY UTILITY" SHALL MEAN  ANY  GAS  CORPORATION,
 ELECTRIC CORPORATION, OR COMBINATION GAS AND ELECTRIC CORPORATION.
   (B) "DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS DEFINED
 IN SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION 75-0101 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
 LAW.
   2.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL REQUIRE EVERY INVESTOR-OWNED ENERGY UTILITY
 PUBLISH ON ITS CUSTOMER FACING WEBSITE, AND FILE  WITH  THE  COMMISSION,
 STATISTICS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR REGARDING EACH DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY
 BY  CENSUS TRACT IN ITS SERVICE AREA. SUCH STATISTICS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT
 NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE:
   (A) NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS WHO ARE ELECTRIC ONLY;
   (B) NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS WHO ARE GAS ONLY;
   (C) NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC AND GAS CUSTOMERS;
   (D) NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL  CUSTOMERS  ENROLLED  IN  ENERGY  ASSISTANCE
 PROGRAM (EAP);
   (E) NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS ENROLLED IN HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE
 PROGRAM (HEAP);
   (F) NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS ENROLLED IN BUDGET BILLING;
   (G) AVERAGE AMOUNT OF ARREARS AMONGST RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS;
   (H)  NUMBER  OF  RESIDENTIAL  CUSTOMERS  WITH  ACTIVE DEFERRED PAYMENT
 AGREEMENTS; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14401-04-4
              

 A. 9174                             2
 
   (I) NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS  IMPACTED  BY  ANY  OTHER  PROGRAM
 DESIGNED  TO  PROVIDE  RELIEF  OR ASSISTANCE IN PAYING OR LOWERING THEIR
 BILLS.
   3.  (A)  SUCH  STATISTICS  REQUIRED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION
 SHALL BE PUBLISHED WITH THE COMMISSION AND REMAIN  POSTED  ON  AN  INVE-
 STOR-OWNED ENERGY UTILITY'S CUSTOMER FACING WEBSITE THREE YEARS FROM THE
 DATE  SUCH  STATISTICS  ARE PUBLISHED. FURTHER, SUCH STATISTICS SHALL BE
 DOWNLOADABLE ON  AN  INVESTOR-OWNED  ENERGY  UTILITY'S  CUSTOMER  FACING
 WEBSITE IN A COMMA-SEPARATED VALUE (CSV) FORMAT.
   (B)  SUCH STATISTICS REQUIRED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION SHALL
 BE POSTED AND FILED FOR THE PRIOR  CALENDAR  YEAR  UPON  THE  DATE  THIS
 SECTION  TAKES  EFFECT.  NO LATER THAN JANUARY THIRTY-FIRST AND ANNUALLY
 THEREAFTER, EACH INVESTOR-OWNED ENERGY UTILITY SHALL  PUBLISH  AND  FILE
 SUCH STATISTICS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION.
   4.  FOR  EACH MONTH AN INVESTOR-OWNED ENERGY UTILITY IS FOUND TO BE IN
 VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, PENALTIES  OR  SANCTIONS  SHALL  BE  ASSESSED
 PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  TWENTY-FIVE  OR TWENTY-FIVE-A OF THIS ARTICLE, AS
 APPLICABLE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such date.