Senate Bill S8717

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Provides that the New York state energy research and development authority shall provide information to residential and commercial consumers on renewable energy technology incentive and affordability programs

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications 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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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 07, 2026	referred to energy and telecommunications

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Authorities Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §1912, Pub Auth L

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides that the New York state energy research and development authority shall provide information to residential and commercial consumers regarding renewable energy technology incentive and affordability programs through a variety of methods, including brochures, posters, social media, television ads, and public ambassadors.

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8717

SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the provision
of information relating to renewable energy technologies and programs

 
PURPOSE:

To direct NYSERDA to use every available method to inform the public
about the programs they operate that could save consumers money on their
energy costs or help them lower their energy use,

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one directs NYSERDA to specifically include information on what
incentives, affordability programs and energy efficiency programs are
available in its education and outreach efforts. It also directs the
authority to conduct outreach via television, radio, social media, print
advertising, with libraries and other public institutions and to recruit
people to serve as public ambassadors.

Section two states the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

NYSERDA is responsible for a host of programs and incentives to assist
consumers with growing energy costs and find green solutions to reduce
their energy use. While these programs can be a great success for those
who take advantage of them, we have seen that educating consumers on
what programs exist and how to access them can be a significant barrier.

This bill will help increase the visibility of existing NYSERDA programs
by giving them specific directions on how to conduct their education and
outreach. This legislation will require NYSERDA to educate consumers on
what incentives, affordability programs and energy efficiency programs
already exist and it directs them to use television, radio, social media
and print advertising, work with libraries and other public institutions
and to recruit people to serve as public ambassadors. Increasing partic-
ipation in these programs is extremely important for helping consumers
lower their energy costs and help the state reach its CLCPA goals. This
bill will require NYSERDA to use every available avenue to increase
public awareness of what programs exist.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the
amendments to subdivision 1 of section 1912 of the public authorities
law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such
section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8717
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 7, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HINCHEY -- 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 authorities law, in relation to the provision
   of information relating to renewable energy technologies and programs
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 1912  of  the  public  authorities
 law,  as  amended by chapter 106 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read
 as follows:
   1. Developing and  enhancing  a  community  education  and  engagement
 program  to inform New Yorkers about the climate crisis and the benefits
 of shifting to a clean energy economy and conducting outreach, providing
 information and education, and building consensus on  the  environmental
 and  local  benefits  of  renewable  energy technologies. Such strategic
 education and outreach shall include:
   (a) Effective communication, engagement and public outreach to  commu-
 nities,  including  disadvantaged  communities, to provide education and
 information on maximizing the benefits that renewable  energy  technolo-
 gies  can  provide while demonstrating strategies and solutions that are
 available to ensure that community benefits are meaningful and  negative
 impacts are avoided, reduced, or mitigated.  SUCH EDUCATION AND INFORMA-
 TION  SHALL  INCLUDE  THE  PROVISION  OF  INFORMATION TO RESIDENTIAL AND
 COMMERCIAL CONSUMERS REGARDING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE INCENTIVE AND AFFORD-
 ABILITY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO  HOME  ENERGY  EFFICIENCY
 PROGRAMS AND PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE HOME ACCESS TO RENEWABLE ENERGY;
   (b) Comprehensive education and outreach to local governments that may
 host  renewable  energy  technologies  to  provide objective information
 about the impacts of renewable energy development and mitigation  oppor-
 tunities; [and]
   (c)  Facilitation of forums for communities, regions, renewable energy
 developers, and other stakeholders to exchange  information  and  ensure
 that all have access to the factual information necessary to support the
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14100-02-5

 S. 8717                             2
 
 appropriate  siting  of  facilities  and  acceptance of renewable energy
 technologies[.]; AND
   (D) METHODS OF PUBLIC OUTREACH WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED
 TO:  BROCHURES  AND  POSTERS  TO  BE DISTRIBUTED TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND
 OTHER PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS; USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, INTERNET, RADIO, NEWSPA-
 PERS, AND PRINT ADVERTISING; USE OF TELEVISION ADVERTISING; AND RECRUIT-
 MENT OF INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE AS VISIBLE PUBLIC AMBASSADORS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided,  however,  that
 the  amendments  to subdivision 1 of section 1912 of the public authori-
 ties law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal  of
 such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.

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Senate Bill S8717

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

Actions

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Michelle Hinchey

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

Actions

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8717 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments