Senate Bill S9321A

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Relates to protections against utility termination for medical emergencies, life-support equipment and elderly, blind and disabled customers

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

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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Actions

View Actions

Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 05, 2026	amended on third reading 9321a
May 04, 2026	advanced to third reading
Apr 29, 2026	2nd report cal.
Apr 28, 2026	1st report cal.867
Feb 27, 2026	referred to energy and telecommunications

Votes

- Apr 28, 2026 - Energy And Telecommunications Committee Vote
  S9321A
  
  Aye
  
  7
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  1
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  
  0
  - - Energy And Telecommunications Committee Vote: Apr 28, 2026
      
      aye (7)
      
      Gonzalez
      
      Hinchey
      
      Kavanagh
      
      Mattera
      
      May
      
      Parker
      
      Ryan
      
      nay (1)
      
      Walczyk
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      O'Mara

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2025-S9321 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10305
Law Section:: Public Service Law

2025-S9321 - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9321

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to protections
against termination of residential utility service in cases of medical
emergencies, life-support equipment and elderly, blind or disabled
customers

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill strengthens medical protections under Public Service Law 32 by
creating uniform definitions, standardized applications, clear time-
lines, and accountability requirements to safeguard medically vulnerable
utility customers from service termination.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: This section amends Service Law to standardize and ity shut
offs. It provides for tion requirements, timeframes, authority for
implementation.subdivision 3 of section 32 of the Public enhance medical

protections against utiluniform definitions, procedures, applicareport-
ing requirements, and regulatory

Subsection (a): This subsection requires the Commission to utilize
specific coding definitions for medical emergency, life support equip-
ment, and elderly, blind, disabled.

Subsection (b): This subsection requires the Commission to establish and
require simplified and standardized application forms for all utilities.

Subsection (c): This subsection requires utilities to accept applica-
tions from licensed medical professionals or customers directly, limits
medical documentation to proof of necessity, prohibits financial
documentation for the first thirty days of medical emergency relief, and
requires HEFPA compliance for any subsequent verification.

Subsection (d): This subsection requires utilities to accept applica-
tions through multiple means of submission

Subsection (e): This subsection requires utilities to process applica-
tions within five business days and provides for automatic approval if
no action is taken within the five-day period.

Subsection (f): This subsection prohibits utilities from requiring
extensive , medical documentation beyond what is authorized or denying
life support equipment coding based on internal medical necessity deter-
minations.

Subsection (g) mandates the reporting of applications, approvals, and
denials by the utilities to the Commission each year and the preparation
of an annual public report by the Commission, which shall be published
starting July 1, 2027.

Section 2 gives the act an effective date of sixty days after the enact-
ment of the law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:
Current law provides special protections from utility shut offs for
elderly, blind, or disabled customers as well as customers who depend on
life-support equipment to sustain their life. However, these protections
are inconsistently applied among utility corporations and sometimes hard
to access for medically vulnerable customers. Patients with medical
conditions requiring oxygen, ventilators, dialysis equipment, refriger-
ated medications, or severe health consequences from the loss of elec-
tricity, gas, or steam continue to face delays, denials, or onerous
documentation requirements.

Customers are often required to provide a great deal of medical informa-
tion, are subject to inconsistent financial verification requirements,
and face immense delays in processing applications.  These factors pose
severe health and safety risks, especially to elderly, blind, disabled,
and chronically ill utility customers. In some instances, utility
service shut offs may lead to hospitalizations, emergency services, or
life-threatening outcomes.

The bill does not create new benefit programs or expand eligibility
categories; rather, it strengthens and clarifies existing protections to
ensure they function as intended.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPACTS:

None to state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Sixty days after becoming law.

2025-S9321 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9321
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 27, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- 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  service law, in relation to protections
   against termination of residential utility service in cases of medical
   emergencies, life-support equipment and  elderly,  blind  or  disabled
   customers

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 32 of the public service  law,  as
 added  by  chapter  713 of the laws of 1981, paragraph (a) as amended by
 chapter 382 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
   3. The commission shall safeguard from termination, or require  resto-
 ration  of  service  to, those residents who will suffer serious impair-
 ments to health or safety as a result of such termination or failure  to
 restore services[. The regulations shall include, but not be limited to:
   (a) Medical emergencies. The commission shall require the continuation
 or  restoration  of  utility  service  to a customer's residence where a
 medical emergency exists.  The  commission  shall  provide  for  written
 certification  by a medical doctor, nurse practitioner or local board of
 health that termination of service or failure to  restore  service  will
 aggravate  an  existing  medical  emergency  at  a customer's residence,
 provided that the commission may authorize an initial  certification  by
 telephone  if  written  certification  is  provided within five business
 days. The commission shall provide for the duration, form,  content  and
 renewal  of written certificates. With respect to the renewal of written
 certificates, the commission may require the customer to demonstrate  an
 inability to pay charges for service. The commission shall, in consulta-
 tion  with  the departments of health and social services and the office
 for the aging, establish criteria to be used by a medical doctor,  nurse
 practitioner  or  local board of health in making a determination that a
 medical emergency exists or that the absence of service  will  aggravate
 an existing medical emergency.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14906-01-6

 S. 9321                             2

   (b)  Customers  who  are  elderly,  blind, or disabled. The commission
 shall provide special procedures to be followed by a utility or  munici-
 pality  with  respect  to the termination or restoration of service to a
 residence where the customer is known to or identified to the utility to
 be  blind,  disabled,  or sixty-two years of age or older; provided that
 all the remaining residents of the household are sixty-two years of  age
 or  older,  eighteen  years  of  age or under, or blind or disabled. The
 commission shall afford reasonable  protections  to  elderly,  blind  or
 disabled customers, including a requirement that the utility corporation
 or  municipality  make  a  diligent effort to contact by telephone or in
 person an adult resident at the customer's premises at least seventy-two
 hours prior to termination of service. The commission shall also  estab-
 lish  reasonable  procedures  for identifying customers eligible for the
 protections of this section] BY ESTABLISHING UNIFORM DEFINITIONS, STAND-
 ARDIZED PROCEDURES, AND UNIFORM APPLICATIONS OR FORMS, FOR DETERMINING A
 MEDICAL EMERGENCY, LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND  ELDERLY, BLIND AND DISA-
 BLED DESIGNATION, THROUGH CUSTOMER ACCOUNT CODING TO BE USED BY  UTILITY
 CORPORATIONS.
   (A) THE COMMISSION SHALL USE THE FOLLOWING CODING DEFINITIONS TO SAFE-
 GUARD  UTILITY CUSTOMERS FROM SERVICE TERMINATIONS AND TO REQUIRE RESTO-
 RATION OF SERVICE:
   (I) "MEDICAL EMERGENCY" SHALL MEAN DOCUMENTATION FROM A STATE LICENSED
 MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL STATING THAT LOSS OF ELECTRIC SERVICE WOULD  AGGRA-
 VATE AN EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION;
   (II)  "LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT" SHALL MEAN ANY DEVICE OR MEDICAL EQUIP-
 MENT NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN  LIFE  OR  PREVENT  SERIOUS  DETERIORATION  OF
 HEALTH; AND
   (III) "ELDERLY, BLIND OR DISABLED" SHALL MEAN A HOUSEHOLD IN WHICH ONE
 OR MORE MEMBERS IS OVER THE AGE OF SIXTY-TWO OR IS BLIND OR DISABLED.
   (B)  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL DEVELOP AND MANDATE THE USE OF SIMPLIFIED,
 STANDARDIZED APPLICATIONS OR FORMS TO CODE FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCY,  LIFE-
 SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND THE DESIGNATION OF ELDERLY, BLIND OR DISABLED, BY
 UTILITY CORPORATIONS.
   (C) UTILITY CORPORATIONS SHALL ACCEPT APPLICATIONS OR FORMS FOR CODING
 ACCOUNTS AS MEDICAL EMERGENCY, LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, OR ELDERLY, BLIND
 OR  DISABLED,  SUBMITTED  BY A LICENSED MEDICAL PROVIDER OR SUBMITTED BY
 THE CUSTOMER DIRECTLY, WITHOUT REQUIRING DISCLOSURE OF  DETAILED  HEALTH
 INFORMATION  BEYOND  CONFIRMATION  OF  MEDICAL NECESSITY. UTILITY CORPO-
 RATIONS SHALL NOT REQUIRE FINANCIAL DOCUMENTATION FOR THE INITIAL  THIR-
 TY-DAY MEDICAL EMERGENCY. SUBSEQUENT FINANCIAL VERIFICATION SHALL COMPLY
 WITH THE HOME ENERGY FAIR PRACTICES ACT AND MINIMIZE BURDENSOME REQUIRE-
 MENTS.
   (D)  UTILITY  CORPORATIONS  SHALL  ACCEPT  APPLICATIONS  OR  FORMS FOR
 MEDICAL EMERGENCY, LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND ELDERLY, BLIND  OR  DISA-
 BLED  DESIGNATION  VIA  EMAIL,  REGULAR MAIL, IN-PERSON DELIVERY, ONLINE
 ACCOUNTS, A DEDICATED ONLINE PORTAL FOR SUCH PURPOSE AND FACSIMILE.
   (E) UTILITY CORPORATIONS SHALL REVIEW AND ACT UPON SUBMITTED  APPLICA-
 TIONS  OR  FORMS  UNDER  THIS  SUBDIVISION, WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS OF
 RECEIPT. FAILURE TO ACT WITHIN SUCH TIMEFRAME SHALL RESULT IN  AUTOMATIC
 APPROVAL OF THE REQUESTED CODING.
   (F) UTILITY CORPORATIONS SHALL NOT REQUEST DETAILED MEDICAL RECORDS OR
 INFORMATION  BEYOND WHAT IS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION OR DENY LIFE-SUPPORT
 EQUIPMENT CODING BASED ON INTERNAL INTERPRETATION OF MEDICAL NECESSITY.
   (G)(I) EVERY UTILITY CORPORATION SHALL, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, PROVIDE TO
 THE COMMISSION:
 S. 9321                             3
 
   (1) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS WHO APPLIED FOR  MEDICAL  EMERGENCY,
 LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT AND ELDERLY, BLIND OR DISABLED DESIGNATION;
   (2)  THE  TOTAL  NUMBER  OF  CUSTOMERS WERE APPROVED FOR EACH CUSTOMER
 ACCOUNT CODE;
   (3) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS WERE DENIED FOR EACH CODE; AND
   (4) ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION.
   (II) BY JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER,
 THE COMMISSION SHALL ISSUE A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE  LEGISLATURE
 CONTAINING  SUCH  INFORMATION,  AND  MAKE  SUCH  REPORT AVAILABLE TO THE
 PUBLIC ON ITS WEBSITE.
   [(c) Special procedures for cold weather periods.] (H) (i) The commis-
 sion shall establish procedures to be followed by a utility  or  munici-
 pality  supplying  heat  related  service  in cold weather periods. Such
 procedures shall be designed to identify and  assist,  prior  to  termi-
 nation  of service, those residents who may suffer serious impairment to
 health or safety as a result of any  such  termination.  The  commission
 shall  establish  the  applicable cold weather periods; specify criteria
 for identifying residents who are likely to suffer serious  impairments,
 and  require that such service not be terminated unless a representative
 of the utility or municipality makes a diligent  effort  to  contact  by
 telephone  or  in person an adult resident of the customer's premises at
 least seventy-two hours prior to termination, makes a personal visit  at
 the  time  of  termination  and  provides  the customer with information
 regarding the protections available under this article.  The  commission
 shall  provide for the manner in which such contacts and personal visits
 are made. (ii) The commission shall also require a  utility  or  munici-
 pality  supplying service to continue service to customers where a seri-
 ous impairment to health or safety is likely to result from  termination
 of  service and the person supplied is unable because of mental or phys-
 ical problems to manage [his or her] THEIR own resources or  to  protect
 [himself or herself] THEMSELF from neglect or hazardous situations with-
 out  the  assistance  of  others.  Doubts  shall be resolved in favor of
 continued service. Continuations of service shall be  for  a  period  of
 time  to  be established by the commission. The commission shall consult
 with the department of social services and  the  state  office  for  the
 aging in implementing the provisions of this paragraph.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.

2025-S9321A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10305
Law Section:: Public Service Law

2025-S9321A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9321A

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to protections
against termination of residential utility service in cases of medical
emergencies, life-support equipment and elderly, blind or disabled
customers

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill strengthens medical protections under Public Service Law 32 by
creating uniform definitions, standardized applications, clear time-
lines, and accountability requirements to safeguard medically vulnerable
utility customers from service termination.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: This section amends subdivision 3 of section 32 of the Public
Service Law to standardize and enhance medical protections against util-
ity shut offs. It provides for uniform definitions, procedures, applica-

tion requirements, timeframes, reporting requirements, and regulatory
authority for implementation.

Subsection (a): This subsection requires the Commission to utilize
specific definitions for medical emergency, life support equip- ment,
and elderly, blind, disabled for designating customer accounts.

Subsection (b): This subsection requires the Commission to establish and
require simplified and standardized application forms for all utilities.

Subsection (c): This subsection requires utilities to accept applica-
tions from licensed medical professionals or customers directly, limits
medical documentation to proof of necessity, prohibits financial
documentation for the first thirty days of medical emergency relief, and
requires HEFPA compliance for any subsequent verification.

Subsection (d): This subsection requires utilities to accept applica-
tions through multiple means of submission.

Subsection (e): This subsection requires utilities to process applica-
tions within five business days and provides for automatic approval if
no action is taken within the five-day period.

Subsection (f): This subsection prohibits utilities from requiring
extensive , medical documentation beyond what is authorized or denying
life support equipment for designating customer accounts based on inter-
nal medical necessity determinations.

Subsection (g) mandates the reporting of applications, approvals, and
denials by the utilities to the Commission each year and the preparation
of an annual public report by the Commission, which shall be published
starting July 1, 2027.

Section 2 gives the act an effective date of one hundred eighty days
after the enactment of the law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:
Current law provides special protections from utility shut offs for
elderly, blind, or disabled customers as well as customers who depend on
life-support equipment to sustain their life. However, these protections
are inconsistently applied among utility corporations and sometimes hard
to access for medically vulnerable customers. Patients with medical
conditions requiring oxygen, ventilators, dialysis equipment, refriger-
ated medications, or severe health consequences from the loss of elec-
tricity, gas, or steam continue to face delays, denials, or onerous
documentation requirements.

Customers are often required to provide a great deal of medical informa-
tion, are subject to inconsistent financial verification requirements,
and face immense delays in processing applications.  These factors pose
severe health and safety risks, especially to elderly, blind, disabled,
and chronically ill utility customers. In some instances, utility
service shut offs may lead to hospitalizations, emergency .services, or
life-threatening outcomes.

The bill does not create new benefit programs or expand eligibility
categories; rather, it strengthens and clarifies existing protections to
ensure they function as intended.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPACTS:

None to state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment
and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
completed on or before such effective date

2025-S9321A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  9321--A
     Cal. No. 867
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 27, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations  --  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, in relation to protections
   against termination of residential utility service in cases of medical
   emergencies, life-support equipment and  elderly,  blind  or  disabled
   customers
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 32 of the public service  law,  as
 added  by  chapter  713 of the laws of 1981, paragraph (a) as amended by
 chapter 382 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
   3. The commission shall safeguard from termination, or require  resto-
 ration  of  service  to, those residents who will suffer serious impair-
 ments to health or safety as a result of such termination or failure  to
 restore services[. The regulations shall include, but not be limited to:
   (a) Medical emergencies. The commission shall require the continuation
 or  restoration  of  utility  service  to a customer's residence where a
 medical emergency exists.  The  commission  shall  provide  for  written
 certification  by a medical doctor, nurse practitioner or local board of
 health that termination of service or failure to  restore  service  will
 aggravate  an  existing  medical  emergency  at  a customer's residence,
 provided that the commission may authorize an initial  certification  by
 telephone  if  written  certification  is  provided within five business
 days. The commission shall provide for the duration, form,  content  and
 renewal  of written certificates. With respect to the renewal of written
 certificates, the commission may require the customer to demonstrate  an
 inability to pay charges for service. The commission shall, in consulta-
 tion  with  the departments of health and social services and the office
 for the aging, establish criteria to be used by a medical doctor,  nurse
 practitioner  or  local board of health in making a determination that a

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD14906-03-6
 S. 9321--A                          2

 medical emergency exists or that the absence of service  will  aggravate
 an existing medical emergency.
   (b)  Customers  who  are  elderly,  blind, or disabled. The commission
 shall provide special procedures to be followed by a utility or  munici-
 pality  with  respect  to the termination or restoration of service to a
 residence where the customer is known to or identified to the utility to
 be blind, disabled, or sixty-two years of age or  older;  provided  that
 all  the remaining residents of the household are sixty-two years of age
 or older, eighteen years of age or under,  or  blind  or  disabled.  The
 commission  shall  afford  reasonable  protections  to elderly, blind or
 disabled customers, including a requirement that the utility corporation
 or municipality make a diligent effort to contact  by  telephone  or  in
 person an adult resident at the customer's premises at least seventy-two
 hours  prior to termination of service. The commission shall also estab-
 lish reasonable procedures for identifying customers  eligible  for  the
 protections  of  this  section] BY ESTABLISHING AND IMPLEMENTING UNIFORM
 DEFINITIONS, STANDARDIZED PROCEDURES, AND UNIFORM APPLICATIONS OR FORMS,
 FOR DETERMINING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND  ELDER-
 LY,  BLIND AND DISABLED DESIGNATION, TO BE USED BY UTILITY CORPORATIONS.
 FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THESE PROTECTIONS SHALL  APPLY  TO
 THE  RESIDENTIAL  UTILITY ACCOUNT WHENEVER ANY RESIDENT OF THE HOUSEHOLD
 MEETS ONE OR MORE OF THE CRITERIA, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE CUSTOMER OF
 RECORD, OR ANY OTHER HOUSEHOLD MEMBER, DOES NOT MEET ALL OF SUCH  CRITE-
 RIA.
   (A)  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL USE THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS TO SAFEGUARD
 UTILITY CUSTOMERS FROM SERVICE TERMINATIONS AND TO  REQUIRE  RESTORATION
 OF SERVICE:
   (I) "MEDICAL EMERGENCY" SHALL MEAN DOCUMENTATION FROM A STATE LICENSED
 MEDICAL  PROFESSIONAL STATING THAT LOSS OF ELECTRIC SERVICE WOULD AGGRA-
 VATE AN EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION;
   (II) "LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT" SHALL MEAN ANY DEVICE OR MEDICAL  EQUIP-
 MENT  NECESSARY  TO  SUSTAIN  LIFE  OR  PREVENT SERIOUS DETERIORATION OF
 HEALTH; AND
   (III) "ELDERLY, BLIND OR DISABLED" SHALL MEAN A HOUSEHOLD IN WHICH ONE
 OR MORE MEMBERS IS OVER THE AGE OF SIXTY-TWO OR IS BLIND OR DISABLED.
   (B) THE COMMISSION SHALL DEVELOP AND MANDATE THE  USE  OF  SIMPLIFIED,
 STANDARDIZED  APPLICATIONS  OR  FORMS  TO DESIGNATE ACCOUNTS FOR MEDICAL
 EMERGENCY, LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND THE DESIGNATION OF ELDERLY, BLIND
 OR DISABLED, BY UTILITY CORPORATIONS.
   (C) UTILITY CORPORATIONS SHALL ACCEPT APPLICATIONS OR FORMS FOR DESIG-
 NATING ACCOUNTS AS MEDICAL EMERGENCY, LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, OR  ELDER-
 LY,  BLIND  OR  DISABLED,  SUBMITTED  BY  A LICENSED MEDICAL PROVIDER OR
 SUBMITTED BY THE CUSTOMER  DIRECTLY,  WITHOUT  REQUIRING  DISCLOSURE  OF
 DETAILED  HEALTH  INFORMATION  BEYOND CONFIRMATION OF MEDICAL NECESSITY.
 UTILITY CORPORATIONS SHALL NOT REQUIRE FINANCIAL DOCUMENTATION  FOR  THE
 INITIAL  THIRTY-DAY MEDICAL EMERGENCY. SUBSEQUENT FINANCIAL VERIFICATION
 SHALL COMPLY WITH THE  HOME  ENERGY  FAIR  PRACTICES  ACT  AND  MINIMIZE
 BURDENSOME REQUIREMENTS.
   (D)  UTILITY  CORPORATIONS  SHALL  ACCEPT  APPLICATIONS  OR  FORMS FOR
 MEDICAL EMERGENCY, LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND ELDERLY, BLIND  OR  DISA-
 BLED  DESIGNATION  VIA  EMAIL,  REGULAR MAIL, IN-PERSON DELIVERY, ONLINE
 ACCOUNTS, A DEDICATED ONLINE PORTAL FOR SUCH PURPOSE AND FACSIMILE.
   (E) UTILITY CORPORATIONS SHALL REVIEW AND ACT UPON SUBMITTED  APPLICA-
 TIONS  OR  FORMS  UNDER  THIS  SUBDIVISION, WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS OF
 RECEIPT. FAILURE TO ACT WITHIN SUCH TIMEFRAME SHALL RESULT IN  AUTOMATIC
 APPROVAL OF THE REQUESTED ACCOUNT DESIGNATION.
 S. 9321--A                          3
 
   (F) UTILITY CORPORATIONS SHALL NOT REQUEST DETAILED MEDICAL RECORDS OR
 INFORMATION  BEYOND WHAT IS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION OR DENY LIFE-SUPPORT
 EQUIPMENT  ACCOUNT  DESIGNATION  BASED  ON  INTERNAL  INTERPRETATION  OF
 MEDICAL NECESSITY.
   (G)(I) EVERY UTILITY CORPORATION SHALL, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, PROVIDE TO
 THE COMMISSION:
   (1)  THE  TOTAL NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS WHO APPLIED FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCY,
 LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT AND ELDERLY, BLIND OR DISABLED DESIGNATION;
   (2) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS WHO WERE APPROVED FOR EACH  CUSTOMER
 ACCOUNT DESIGNATION;
   (3)  THE  TOTAL  NUMBER  OF CUSTOMERS WHO WERE DENIED FOR EACH ACCOUNT
 DESIGNATION; AND
   (4) ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION.
   (II) BY JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER,
 THE COMMISSION SHALL ISSUE A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE  LEGISLATURE
 CONTAINING  SUCH  INFORMATION,  AND  MAKE  SUCH  REPORT AVAILABLE TO THE
 PUBLIC ON ITS WEBSITE.
   [(c) Special procedures for cold weather periods.] (H) (i) The commis-
 sion shall establish procedures to be followed by a utility  or  munici-
 pality  supplying  heat  related  service  in cold weather periods. Such
 procedures shall be designed to identify and  assist,  prior  to  termi-
 nation  of service, those residents who may suffer serious impairment to
 health or safety as a result of any  such  termination.  The  commission
 shall  establish  the  applicable cold weather periods; specify criteria
 for identifying residents who are likely to suffer serious  impairments,
 and  require that such service not be terminated unless a representative
 of the utility or municipality makes a diligent  effort  to  contact  by
 telephone  or  in person an adult resident of the customer's premises at
 least seventy-two hours prior to termination, makes a personal visit  at
 the  time  of  termination  and  provides  the customer with information
 regarding the protections available under this article.  The  commission
 shall  provide for the manner in which such contacts and personal visits
 are made. (ii) The commission shall also require a  utility  or  munici-
 pality  supplying service to continue service to customers where a seri-
 ous impairment to health or safety is likely to result from  termination
 of  service and the person supplied is unable because of mental or phys-
 ical problems to manage [his or her] THEIR own resources or  to  protect
 [himself or herself] THEMSELF from neglect or hazardous situations with-
 out  the  assistance  of  others.  Doubts  shall be resolved in favor of
 continued service. Continuations of service shall be  for  a  period  of
 time  to  be established by the commission. The commission shall consult
 with the department of social services and  the  state  office  for  the
 aging in implementing the provisions of this paragraph.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S9321A

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Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

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Votes

Apr 28, 2026 - Energy And Telecommunications Committee Vote

Energy And Telecommunications Committee Vote: Apr 28, 2026

Bill Amendments

2025-S9321 - Details

2025-S9321 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9321 - Bill Text download pdf

2025-S9321A (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9321A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9321A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Senate Bill S9321A

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Sponsored By

Leroy Comrie

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

Actions

Votes

Bill Amendments

2025-S9321 - Details

2025-S9321 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9321 - Bill Text download pdf

2025-S9321A (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9321A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9321A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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