S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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10667--A
I N S E N A T E
July 24, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules -- 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 a
presumption that certain refunds received by public utility companies
shall be passed on to ratepayers
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 113 of the public service law, as
added by chapter 530 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows:
2. (A) Whenever any public utility company [or municipality], whose
rates are subject to the jurisdiction of the commission, shall receive
any refund of amounts charged and collected from it by any source, the
commission shall have power after a hearing, upon its own motion, upon
complaint or upon the application of such public utility company [or
municipality], to determine [whether or not such refund should be passed
on, in whole or in part, to the consumers of such public utility company
or municipality and to order such public utility company or municipality
to pass such refunds on to its consumers, in the manner and to the
extent determined just and reasonable by the commission] THE PORTION OF
SUCH REFUND ATTRIBUTABLE TO COSTS, TAXES, FEES, CHARGES, OR OTHER
AMOUNTS PREVIOUSLY RECOVERED FROM RATEPAYERS THROUGH RATES, CHARGES, OR
OTHER COST RECOVERY MECHANISMS AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION,
AND TO DETERMINE THE JUST AND REASONABLE DISPOSITION OF ANY REMAINING
PORTION OF SUCH REFUND.
(B) THERE SHALL BE A REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION THAT THE PORTION OF A
REFUND DETERMINED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION TO BE
ATTRIBUTABLE TO AMOUNTS PREVIOUSLY RECOVERED FROM RATEPAYERS SHALL BE
PASSED ON TO SUCH RATEPAYERS, LESS ANY COSTS PERMITTED BY THE COMMISSION
PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (F) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
(C) THE COMMISSION SHALL ORDER SUCH PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES TO PASS
SUCH PORTION OF THE REFUND ON, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, TO THE RATE-
PAYERS WHO BORE THE COSTS GIVING RISE TO THE REFUND. WHERE DISTRIBUTION
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16213-02-6
S. 10667--A 2
TO SUCH RATEPAYERS IS IMPRACTICABLE, THE COMMISSION SHALL DIRECT SUCH
PORTION TO THE APPROPRIATE CLASS OR CLASSES OF RATEPAYERS THROUGH A JUST
AND REASONABLE METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION. SUCH METHOD MAY INCLUDE BILL
CREDITS, DIRECT REFUNDS, REDUCTIONS IN FUTURE RATES, OR ANOTHER METHOD
THAT PROVIDES A DIRECT AND EQUITABLE BENEFIT TO AFFECTED RATEPAYERS.
(D) THE PRESUMPTION ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS
SUBDIVISION MAY BE REBUTTED ONLY UPON A DEMONSTRATION BY THE PUBLIC
UTILITY COMPANY, AND A FINDING BY THE COMMISSION, THAT:
(I) DIRECT DISTRIBUTION TO AFFECTED RATEPAYERS IS IMPRACTICABLE AND
SUCH ALTERNATIVE DISPOSITION WILL PROVIDE SUCH RATEPAYERS WITH A REASON-
ABLY EQUIVALENT OR GREATER BENEFIT; OR
(II) AN ALTERNATIVE DISPOSITION IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT IMMINENT AND
MATERIAL IMPAIRMENT OF THE PROVISION OF SAFE AND ADEQUATE UTILITY
SERVICE. ANY ALTERNATIVE DISPOSITION AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBPAR-
AGRAPH SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT NECESSARY TO PREVENT SUCH IMPAIR-
MENT AND SHALL BE USED SOLELY FOR THAT PURPOSE.
(E) NO PORTION OF A REFUND ATTRIBUTABLE TO AMOUNTS PREVIOUSLY RECOV-
ERED FROM RATEPAYERS SHALL BE RETAINED AS EARNINGS OR PROFIT OR OTHER-
WISE USED FOR THE DIRECT OR INDIRECT BENEFIT OF SHAREHOLDERS.
(F) COSTS INCURRED BY A PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY TO IDENTIFY, PURSUE, OR
OBTAIN A REFUND SHALL NOT REDUCE THE AMOUNT PASSED ON TO RATEPAYERS
UNLESS THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY DEMONSTRATES, AND THE COMMISSION
FINDS, THAT SUCH COSTS WERE REASONABLE, DOCUMENTED, PRUDENTLY INCURRED,
AND DIRECTLY NECESSARY TO OBTAIN THE REFUND. THE COMMISSION SHALL NOT
PERMIT THE DEDUCTION OF COSTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A FAILURE BY THE PUBLIC
UTILITY COMPANY TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE INTERNAL CONTROLS, EXERCISE REASON-
ABLE CARE, OR COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS.
(G) ANY ORDER AUTHORIZING AN ALTERNATIVE DISPOSITION PURSUANT TO PARA-
GRAPH (D) OF THIS SUBDIVISION OR PERMITTING THE DEDUCTION OF COSTS
PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (F) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL SET FORTH SPECIFIC
FINDINGS IDENTIFYING THE AMOUNT AND SOURCE OF THE REFUND, THE PORTION
ATTRIBUTABLE TO AMOUNTS PREVIOUSLY RECOVERED FROM RATEPAYERS, ANY COSTS
PERMITTED TO BE DEDUCTED, THE METHOD BY WHICH AFFECTED RATEPAYERS WILL
RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE REFUND, AND THE REASONS FOR ANY DEPARTURE
FROM THE PRESUMPTION ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS
SUBDIVISION.
(H) WHERE A MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY IS REQUIRED TO MAKE PAYMENT OF A
REFUND SUBJECT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COMMISSION MAY, UPON APPLICATION
BY THE MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY AND UPON A FINDING THAT IMMEDIATE PAYMENT
WOULD IMPOSE AN UNDUE FISCAL HARDSHIP OR REQUIRE AN UNBUDGETED EXPENDI-
TURE THAT WOULD MATERIALLY IMPAIR THE MUNICIPALITY'S OR COUNTY'S FISCAL
STABILITY OR ABILITY TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES, AUTHOR-
IZE SUCH MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY TO SATISFY ITS REFUND OBLIGATION PURSU-
ANT TO A PAYMENT SCHEDULE NOT TO EXCEED TWO YEARS. IN APPROVING ANY SUCH
PAYMENT SCHEDULE, THE COMMISSION SHALL CONSIDER THE INTERESTS OF
AFFECTED RATEPAYERS, THE MUNICIPALITY'S OR COUNTY'S FINANCIAL CONDITION,
AND THE NEED TO ENSURE TIMELY PAYMENT OF THE REFUND. ANY ORDER ISSUED
PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL ESTABLISH THE AMOUNT AND TIMING OF
INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS AND MAY INCLUDE SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THE
COMMISSION DEEMS JUST AND REASONABLE.
(I) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PAYMENT SCHEDULE AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO PARA-
GRAPH (H) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE
SHALL MAKE PAYMENT OF THE REFUND TO THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY IMME-
DIATELY UPON SUCH REFUND BECOMING DUE. A MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY SUBJECT
TO SUCH REFUND SHALL REMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR REIMBURSING THE DEPARTMENT
S. 10667--A 3
OF TAXATION AND FINANCE FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF SUCH PAYMENT IN ACCORD-
ANCE WITH ANY PAYMENT SCHEDULE AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (H) OF
THIS SUBDIVISION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.