Assembly Bill A10376

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10376
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 3, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Energy
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, the general business law and the
   public  authorities  law,  in  relation  to  requiring utility service
   providers to disclose planned rate increases  to  consumers  within  a
   certain amount of time

   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
 28 to read as follows:
   §  28. NOTICE OF PLANNED RATE INCREASE FOR SERVICES. 1. ANY GAS CORPO-
 RATION, ELECTRIC CORPORATION, WATER CORPORATION OR  MUNICIPALITY,  STEAM
 CORPORATION  OR TELEPHONE CORPORATION SHALL BE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE TO A
 CONSUMER ANY PLANNED RATE INCREASE FOR SERVICES BEING RENDERED  TO  SUCH
 CONSUMER,  WITHIN  THIRTY  DAYS  BEFORE SUCH PLANNED RATE INCREASE TAKES
 EFFECT.
   2. (A) ANY NOTIFICATION OF A PLANNED RATE INCREASE  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
 SECTION SHALL BE COMMUNICATED TO THE CONSUMER IN A CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS
 METHOD WHICH IS SUFFICIENT TO ALERT SUCH CONSUMER THAT SUCH PLANNED RATE
 INCREASE IS OCCURRING.
   (B)  A  CONSUMER SHALL BE NOTIFIED IN A SEPARATE COMMUNICATION OUTSIDE
 OF ANY BILLING  STATEMENT  VIA  PHONE,  ELECTRONIC  MAIL,  LETTER,  TEXT
 MESSAGE  OR  ANY  COMBINATION  THEREOF  THAT INCLUDES A STATEMENT OF THE
 FOLLOWING:
   (I) THE AMOUNT OF THE RATE INCREASE;
   (II) THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE INCREASE; AND
   (III) WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE
 RATE INCREASE.
   (C) INCLUSION OF SUCH NOTIFICATION AS PART OF  ANY  BILLING  STATEMENT
 SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE COMPLIANCE WITH THIS SECTION.
   3.  ANY  GAS  CORPORATION,  ELECTRIC CORPORATION, WATER CORPORATION OR
 MUNICIPALITY, STEAM CORPORATION OR TELEPHONE CORPORATION  SHALL  PROVIDE
 WITH  ANY  NOTIFICATION  OF A PLANNED RATE INCREASE INFORMATION ON HOW A
 CONSUMER CAN CONTACT THE SERVICE PROVIDER.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD09684-03-6
 A. 10376                            2
 
   § 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section  399-
 ww to read as follows:
   §  399-WW.  NOTICE  OF  PLANNED  RATE INCREASES FOR CABLE AND INTERNET
 SERVICES. 1. ANY CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY OR INTERNET  SERVICE  PROVIDER
 SHALL  BE  REQUIRED  TO DISCLOSE TO A CONSUMER ANY PLANNED RATE INCREASE
 FOR SERVICES BEING RENDERED TO SUCH CONSUMER, WITHIN THIRTY BUT NO  LESS
 THAN SEVEN DAYS BEFORE SUCH PLANNED RATE INCREASE TAKES EFFECT.
   2.  (A)  ANY  NOTIFICATION OF A PLANNED RATE INCREASE PURSUANT TO THIS
 SECTION SHALL BE COMMUNICATED TO THE CONSUMER IN A CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS
 METHOD WHICH IS SUFFICIENT TO ALERT SUCH CONSUMER THAT SUCH PLANNED RATE
 INCREASE IS OCCURRING.
   (B) A CONSUMER SHALL BE NOTIFIED IN A SEPARATE  COMMUNICATION  OUTSIDE
 OF  ANY  BILLING  STATEMENT  VIA  PHONE,  ELECTRONIC  MAIL, LETTER, TEXT
 MESSAGE OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF THAT  INCLUDES  A  STATEMENT  OF  THE
 FOLLOWING:
   (I) THE AMOUNT OF THE RATE INCREASE;
   (II) THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE INCREASE; AND
   (III) WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE
 RATE INCREASE.
   (C)  INCLUSION  OF  SUCH NOTIFICATION AS PART OF ANY BILLING STATEMENT
 SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE COMPLIANCE WITH THIS SECTION.
   3. ANY CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY OR  INTERNET  SERVICE  PROVIDER  SHALL
 PROVIDE  WITH ANY NOTIFICATION OF A PLANNED RATE INCREASE INFORMATION ON
 HOW A CONSUMER CAN CONTACT THE SERVICE PROVIDER AND SHALL ALSO INCLUDE A
 MECHANISM TO ALLOW FOR A CONSUMER TO CANCEL THEIR SERVICE ALTOGETHER.
   § 3. Section 1020-cc of the  public  authorities  law  is  amended  by
 adding a new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
   3.  SERVICE  PROVIDERS  SHALL  BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION
 TWENTY-EIGHT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE LAW.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.