S1878A-2011 Actions

• Mar 13, 2012: COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
• Mar 13, 2012: NOTICE OF COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION - REQUESTED
• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
• Mar 16, 2011: PRINT NUMBER 1878A
• Mar 16, 2011: AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
• Jan 13, 2011: REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

S1878A-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S1878A

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the public service law, in relation to making gas and electric
billing information for residential rental
premises available upon request

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Requires gas and electric utility companies to make available to any
landlord and lessor of residential rental premises, upon the request
of a prospective tenant or lessor of a residential unit, information
concerning gas and electric charges incurred from prior occupants of
the dwelling.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
The public service law is amended by adding a new section 66-m to
require gas and electric utilities to make available to persons upon
request information concerning gas and electric charges incurred for
residential premises. The bill also stipulates that only billing
information be made available and that no identifying information is
to be provided.

JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, gas and electric companies have stopped providing billing
information to potential tenants and homeowners who wish to move into
a residential dwelling. This prevents them from inquiring about the
costs associated with heating a potential residence. People should
have the right to inquire from a gas and electric company the amount
of the bills being paid for heat and electric service by the prior
customer before they move into a residence. They should not have to
rely on a landlord or homeowner's word about how much it costs to
heat a residence.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.5049 (2007-08): Referred to Energy and Telecommunications
A.9711 (2005-06): Referred to Rules
A.4794 (2003-04): Referred to Corps
A.1967 (2001-02): Passed Assembly

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law; provided that the public service commission
is authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take
any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective
date on or before such date.

S1878A-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 1878--A
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 January 13, 2011
 
 Introduced  by Sens. ESPAILLAT, HUNTLEY, KRUEGER, MONTGOMERY, PERKINS -
 read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to
 the   Committee   on   Energy   and  Telecommunications  --  committee
 discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
 to said committee
 

AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to  making  gas  and
 electric billing information for residential rental premises available
 upon request
 

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
 66-m to read as follows:

 

S  66-M.  GAS  AND ELECTRIC BILLING INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTIAL RENTAL
 PREMISES. EVERY GAS CORPORATION, ELECTRIC CORPORATION, AND  MUNICIPALITY
 SHALL  MAKE  AVAILABLE  TO  ANY LANDLORD OR LESSOR OF RESIDENTIAL RENTAL
 PREMISES, WITHIN TEN DAYS OF RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR  FROM
 ANY  PROSPECTIVE  TENANT OR LESSEE THEREOF, PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF
 TENANCY OR EXECUTION OF A LEASE, INFORMATION CONSISTING OF  THE  CHARGES
 INCURRED  AT  SUCH  PREMISES FOR GAS OR ELECTRIC SERVICE OR BOTH FOR THE
 LIFE OF THE DWELLING UNIT OR THE PRECEDING TWO YEAR PERIOD, WHICHEVER IS
 SHORTER. SUCH INFORMATION SHALL BE IDENTIFIED SOLELY BY THE  ADDRESS  OF
 THE  DWELLING  UNIT,  AND  NO  OTHER  INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE OWNER,
 LESSEE, OR OTHER OCCUPANT OF THE DWELLING UNIT SHALL BE UTILIZED FOR, OR
 MADE AVAILABLE IN CONNECTION WITH, THE FURNISHING OF BILLING INFORMATION
 PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.  SUCH INFORMATION SHALL BE FURNISHED  TO  BOTH
 THE  LANDLORD  OR LESSOR AND TO THE PROSPECTIVE TENANT OR LESSEE WITHOUT
 THE IMPOSITION OF ANY CHARGE OR FEE THEREFOR BY ANY PARTY TO ANY PARTY.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law; provided that the public service  commission
 is  authorized to  promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take
 any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective date
 on or before such date.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD06297-02-1

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