Provides for the notification of impending emergencies by electric corporations to affected communities.

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S1773-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
• Jan 12, 2011: REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

S1773-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S1773

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the public service law, in relation to providing
for the notification of impending emergencies by electric
corporations

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill provides notification of impending emergencies by electrical
utility corporations to affected communities.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
This bill would mandate all electrical utility corporations to notify
the chief executive officer of a municipality or the designated
agency head or department head of a municipality when there is an
impending electrical emergency that may affect the municipality. Each
municipality notified of a pending electrical emergency shall provide
appropriate notice and information to designated media outlets.

The public service commission, with the attorney general, shall
promulgate rules and regulations necessary to enforce the provisions
of section one. The commission shall solicit input from electric
corporations and municipal officials in the process of formulating
such rules and regulations.

Such rules and regulations shall include but not limited to
establishing protocols which address the magnitude and severity of
the impending emergency, as well as protocols for notification of the
public.

This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day.

JUSTIFICATION:
During the recent power outage in New York City, Con Edison failed to
notify customers of the impending blackout, which occurred on July 6,
1999, nor were any efforts made to reach a broad number of people
through the media. This bill, when enacted would require the utility
corporations to do so in the future.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2001/02: A.7085
2003/04: A.5268
2005/06: A.4104
2007/08: A.4578  Referred to Corporations, Authorities & Commissions
2009/10: S.5057B Referred to Corporations, Authorities & Commissions

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect 180 days after becoming a law.

S1773-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    1773

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                              January 12, 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 providing for the
    notification of impending emergencies by electric corporations

    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
  54 to read as follows:

    S  54. NOTIFICATION OF IMPENDING EMERGENCIES. 1. EVERY ELECTRIC CORPO-
  RATION SHALL NOTIFY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF A MUNICIPALITY OR THE
  DESIGNATED AGENCY HEAD OR DEPARTMENT HEAD OF A MUNICIPALITY  WHEN  THERE
  IS  AN  IMPENDING ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY THAT MAY AFFECT THE MUNICIPALITY.
  EACH MUNICIPALITY NOTIFIED  OF  A  PENDING  ELECTRICAL  EMERGENCY  SHALL
  PROVIDE  APPROPRIATE NOTICE AND INFORMATION TO DESIGNATED MEDIA OUTLETS,
  INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ELECTRONIC, PRINT, INTERNET OR OTHER DESIG-
  NATED PUBLIC MEDIA OUTLETS SERVING SUCH AFFECTED MUNICIPALITY.
    2. (A) THE COMMISSION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, SHALL
  PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS  OF
  THIS  SECTION.   THE COMMISSION SHALL SOLICIT INPUT FROM ELECTRIC CORPO-
  RATIONS AND MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS IN THE PROCESS OF FORMULATING SUCH RULES
  AND REGULATIONS.
    (B) SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL INCLUDE BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED  TO
  ESTABLISHING  PROTOCOLS  WHICH ADDRESS THE MAGNITUDE AND SEVERITY OF THE
  IMPENDING EMERGENCY, AS  WELL  AS  PROTOCOLS  FOR  NOTIFICATION  OF  THE
  PUBLIC.
    S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
  it shall have become a law.


   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD06742-01-1