Senator Mario R. Mattera (2nd Senate District) joined with Senate Conference Leader Rob Ortt, Senator Tom O’Mara, Senator Steve Chan, and Members of the Senate Republican Conference unveiled a package of legislation aimed at addressing New York’s outrageous energy costs and offsetting the effects of costly energy mandates out of Albany. 

The legislative package, “Affordable Energy, Not Albany Mandates,” is part of the Conference’s broader 2026 legislative agenda entitled “Save New York,” a plan to improve affordability, enhance public safety, and build a stronger New York for today and future generations.

“My colleagues in the Senate Republican Conference and I are focused on making New York more affordable and protecting the hardworking New Yorkers who are struggling under rising energy costs. Albany Democrats’ failed policies have increased utility bills astronomically and New York families and businesses are feeling the pain - especially during this severe cold.  We are taking real, common-sense steps to return money to ratepayers, increase transparency, and restore balance to our energy decisions. New Yorkers deserve reliable, affordable, and realistic energy solutions that put people first and we are committed to making that a reality,” said Senator Mattera, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunication Committee.

“Just last week a newspaper article highlighted how more than 400,000 customers have had their gas or power cut because they can’t afford to pay their bills - numbers that are much higher than during the great recession. This is completely unacceptable, and a direct result of Albany Democrats’ out-of-touch Green New Scam policies. The New York State legislature must start acting on behalf of all of our constituents, instead of passing feel-good policies that do nothing to save the planet and only serve to please radical environmentalists, while making the rest of the state suffer,” said Senate Republican Leader Ortt.

“Since the CLCPA’s approval in 2019, we’ve watched Albany Democrats move at record speed to pile one unfunded mandate on top of another unworkable policy on top of the next unrealistic directive desperately trying to inflict a zero-emissions economy on this entire state that will have zero impact on the climate. These actions are delivering a heavy price tag that will only get heavier as time goes on for ratepayers.  The consequences for ratepayers and taxpayers, small businesses and manufacturers, school districts, farmers, and entire local economies will continue to be devastating. It has become clear that the current strategy is not realistic or achievable. It is not responsible or rational. There was no cost-benefit analysis. It lacks critical foresight, and it unreasonably risks energy grid reliability and affordability. The urgency remains for an overdue and badly needed revision of the current plan. In the meantime, New Yorkers need relief now. Our Republican Conference is promoting this package of bills which will deliver some much needed relief to overburdened ratepayers. Senate Republicans continue to put forth a clean energy strategy that is focused on affordability, feasibility, and reliability,” said Senator O’Mara, Member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunication Committee.

“When are we going to stop pretending to be helping New Yorkers and really help them. We have a chance, and a duty, to lower utility costs for the people of New York, we can make it happen. It's not that hard,” said Senator Steve Chan (17th Senate District).

New Yorkers are currently weathering some of the highest energy rates in the nation. Residential electricity rates in New York are 50% higher than the national average and rose 7.6% in the past year, faster than the national average. Since New York Democrats passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), electricity rates in New York have increased 45% – leading New Yorkers to pay 30-40% higher rates than our neighbors in Pennsylvania. 

Among the goals of the legislative package are to provide immediate ratepayer relief, increase cost transparency, and repeal costly mandates:

Immediate Ratepayer Relief

• S8461A (O'Mara) - Requires any surplus or unspent ratepayer funds remaining in NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Fund or any unspent funds collected by utilities be sent back to ratepayers as a bill credit. This bill would result in lowering New Yorkers utility bills by $2 billion at a time when New Yorkers are facing skyrocketing utility bills.
• S8463 (Rolison) - Provides a one-year utility bill tax and surcharge holiday and two-year green energy tax holiday. Government taxes and fees account for between 25 to 50% of a customer’s utility bill.  This bill would provide meaningful and immediate relief to ratepayers as they face skyrocketing energy costs.
• S7075 (Walczyk) - Repeals the system benefit charge.  The system benefit charge is a fee imposed on all ratepayers that provides money to NYSERDA and the PSC. Repealing such fees would lower utility bills.

Cost Transparency

• S1031 (Rolison) - Directs the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Comptroller to determine the cost of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) mandates for each ratepayer and to establish a credit for ratepayers and businesses to cover those costs.
• S1414 (Tedisco) - Enacts the Utility Ratepayer Protection Act, which requires legislative approval of increases in utility charges.
• S5515 (Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick) - Relates to providing transparency to residential utility and municipality ratepayers on the cost impact of the climate action council's scoping plan. 
• S5611 (Mattera) - Establishes the Climate Action Cost Council, which must meet quarterly and report on any CLCPA cost associated with any action taken by the Council.
• S6412 (O’Mara) - Establishes the “Ratepayer Disclosure and Transparency Act,” which requires annual reporting on state mandated energy programs.
• S6790 (Griffo) - Requires the superintendent of financial services to examine the Green Bank at least once every calendar year.
• S8447 (Walczyk) -Requires a fiscal note when a bill enacts or amends a law impacting the cost of utility services.
• S8936 (Rolison) - Increases transparency and accountability in utility billing by requiring all electric utility corporations, energy services companies, and municipalities to provide customers with a clear, itemized breakdown of their monthly bills.

Repeal Green Energy Mandates

• S1167 (Mattera) – Repeals All Electric Buildings Act.
• S3652 (Ortt) – Repeals the Electric Vehicle mandate.
• S4748 (Borrello) – Repeals the zero-emission school bus mandate.
• S8607 (Walczyk) - Repeals the $15 billion per year Cap-and-Invest program that will act as a tax on New York consumers.
• S7710 (Chan) - Prohibits the construction of certain energy storage systems within five hundred feet of a school or dwelling in New York City.

New Yorkers are being crushed under the weight of the out of touch decisions from Albany, the Senate Republican Conference will continue to bring forward common sense solutions to offer immediate relief.

Click here to view Senator Mattera's comments at the February 9th press conference.