S1385-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
• Jan 7, 2011: REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

S1385-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S1385

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring utility
companies to include a notice of public hearings concerning rate
increases

PURPOSE OF BILL:
This legislation requires utility companies to post notification of
date and place of proposed hearings concerning rate hikes on the
monthly bills.

JUSTIFICATION:
Utility rate hikes over the years have been the subject of tremendous
controversy. Many consumers feel that the present system of
notification is inadequate and that the most common method of
notification occurs after the fact via the media or the actual
increase in the monthly payment. This legislation is intended to
address the issue of inadequate notification by requiring utility
companies to post the date and place of the hearings on the
customer's bill for service. This is a more appropriate method of
notifying consumers so that they may plan to attend the hearing or
submit comments.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Sponsored by M/A Lafayette 1993-1994 - S.5463
1995-1996 - S.896A
1997-1998 - A.8810
1999-2000 - S.719A, A.894A
2001-02 (A.1292/S.1046)
2003-04 (A.65/S.4541)
2005-06 (A.172/S.1248)
2007-08 (A.60)
2009-10 (S.3573A)

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

S1385-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         1385
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 January 7, 2011
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. PERKINS -- 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 requiring utility
 companies  to  include  a  notice  of  public hearings concerning rate
 increases
 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section 1.

Section 44 of the public service law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 6 to read as follows:

 6.  EVERY  UTILITY  CORPORATION  SHALL  INCLUDE ON THEIR BILLS SENT TO
 THEIR CUSTOMERS ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE DATE AND  PLACE  OF  ANY  AND  ALL
 PUBLIC  HEARINGS,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO  HEARINGS BEFORE THE
 COMMISSION, CONCERNING PROPOSED  INCREASES  IN  RATES  OF  SUCH  UTILITY
 CORPORATION  KNOWN TO SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION AT THE TIME OF THE PREPA
 RATION OF SUCH BILLS.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD04162-01-1

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