Senate Bill S4989

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4989--A
     Cal. No. 1410
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. HARCKHAM, MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommu-
   nications  --  reported favorably from said committee and committed to
   the Committee on Consumer Protection -- reported favorably  from  said
   committee,  ordered  to  first  and  second report, ordered to a third
   reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining  its  place  in  the
   order of third reading
 
 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD09684-02-5
 S. 4989--A                          2
 
   (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.
   §  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.