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Assembly Bill A10160A

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires utilities accept public assistance payments

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2025-A10160 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S9263
Current Committee:
Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §32, Pub Serv L

2025-A10160 - Summary

Requires utilities accept public assistance payments including payments from the home energy assistance programs and emergency funding programs.

2025-A10160 - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10160
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 12, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BURDICK -- 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  public
   assistance  payments  for  residential  gas  and  electric service are
   accepted and credited by utilities
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 32 of the public service law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 7 to read as follows:
   7.  A  GAS  OR ELECTRIC CORPORATION SHALL ACCEPT AND CREDIT ANY PUBLIC
 ASSISTANCE PAYMENT TENDERED ON BEHALF OF A  RESIDENTIAL  CUSTOMER  BY  A
 SOCIAL  SERVICES  DISTRICT  OR  THE  OFFICE  OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY
 ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PAYMENTS MADE PURSUANT  TO  THE
 HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AS ESTABLISHED IN SECTION NINETY-SEVEN OF
 THE  SOCIAL  SERVICES LAW, AND EMERGENCY FUNDING FROM PROGRAMS AS ESTAB-
 LISHED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE-S OF THE SOCIAL  SERVICES  LAW.
 UPON  RECEIPT  OF  SUCH  PAYMENT  OR  NOTICE  THAT SUCH PAYMENT HAS BEEN
 AUTHORIZED OR ISSUED, A GAS OR  ELECTRIC  CORPORATION  SHALL  TREAT  THE
 PAYMENT  AS MADE FOR ALL PURPOSES UNDER THIS SECTION, INCLUDING RESTORA-
 TION OF RESIDENTIAL UTILITY SERVICE, AND SATISFACTION OF OTHER FORMS  OF
 COLLECTIONS  ACTIVITY,  REGARDLESS  OF  THE  STATUS  OF  THE  CUSTOMER'S
 ACCOUNT.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14731-01-6

co-Sponsors

2025-A10160A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S9263
Current Committee:
Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §32, Pub Serv L

2025-A10160A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires utilities accept public assistance payments including payments from the home energy assistance programs and emergency funding programs.

2025-A10160A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                 10160--A
                                                         Cal. No. 336
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 12, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BURDICK, SIMON, OTIS -- read once and referred to
   the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- reported
   from  committee,  advanced  to  a  third  reading, amended and ordered
   reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading

 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring  public
   assistance  payments  for  residential  gas  and  electric service are
   accepted and credited by utilities
 
   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 HEFPA Protection Act".
   § 2.  Section 32 of the public service law is amended by adding a  new
 subdivision 7 to read as follows:
   7.  A  GAS  OR ELECTRIC CORPORATION SHALL ACCEPT AND CREDIT ANY PUBLIC
 ASSISTANCE PAYMENT TENDERED ON BEHALF OF A  RESIDENTIAL  CUSTOMER  BY  A
 SOCIAL  SERVICES  DISTRICT  OR  THE  OFFICE  OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY
 ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PAYMENTS MADE PURSUANT  TO  THE
 HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AS ESTABLISHED IN SECTION NINETY-SEVEN OF
 THE  SOCIAL  SERVICES LAW, AND EMERGENCY FUNDING FROM PROGRAMS AS ESTAB-
 LISHED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE-S OF THE SOCIAL  SERVICES  LAW.
 UPON  RECEIPT  OF  SUCH  PAYMENT  OR  NOTICE  THAT SUCH PAYMENT HAS BEEN
 AUTHORIZED AND WILL BE ISSUED, A GAS OR ELECTRIC CORPORATION SHALL TREAT
 THE PAYMENT AS MADE FOR  ALL  PURPOSES  UNDER  THIS  SECTION,  INCLUDING
 RESTORATION  OF  RESIDENTIAL  UTILITY SERVICE, AND SATISFACTION OF OTHER
 FORMS OF COLLECTIONS ACTIVITY, REGARDLESS OF THE STATUS OF  THE  CUSTOM-
 ER'S  ACCOUNT.  WHERE SUCH PAYMENT DOES NOT FULLY SATISFY ARREARS, A GAS
 OR ELECTRIC CORPORATION SHALL ENCOURAGE THE CUSTOMER TO  APPLY  FOR  ANY
 ADDITIONAL PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR AND, UPON
 EXHAUSTION  OF  SUCH PROGRAM APPLICATIONS AND IF SUCH CUSTOMER IS OTHER-
 WISE ELIGIBLE, OFFER THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER A  PAYMENT  AGREEMENT  FOR
 THE  REMAINING  BALANCE  IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION THIRTY-SEVEN OF THIS
 ARTICLE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

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