Senate Bill S1199B

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to establishing minimum standards for payment plans for eligible customers

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Assembly 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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Bill Amendments

2023-S1199 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A4497
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §37-a, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S8984, A10479

2023-S1199 - 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-S1199 - Sponsor Memo

2023-S1199 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1199
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 10, 2023
                                ___________
 
 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 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
              

co-Sponsors

2023-S1199A - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A4497
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §37-a, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S8984, A10479

2023-S1199A - 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-S1199A - Sponsor Memo

2023-S1199A - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1199--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 10, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations  --  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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04259-02-3
 S. 1199--A                          2
              

co-Sponsors

2023-S1199B (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A4497
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §37-a, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S8984, A10479

2023-S1199B (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-S1199B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S1199B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1199--B
     Cal. No. 214
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 10, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  PARKER, ADDABBO, CHU, FERNANDEZ, GOUNARDES, HOYL-
   MAN-SIGAL, KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed
   to be committed to the Committee on Energy and  Telecommunications  --
   committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
   recommitted to said committee -- recommitted to the Committee on Ener-
   gy and Telecommunications in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8  --
   reported  favorably  from  said committee, ordered to first and second
   report, amended on second report, ordered to a third reading,  and  to
   be  reprinted  as  amended,  retaining its place in the order of third
   reading
 
 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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