S1947-2013 Actions

• Jan 9, 2013: REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

S1947-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S1947

TITLE  OF BILL:   An act to amend the public service law, in relation to
charges or fees on volunteer ambulance corps and volunteer  fire  compa-
nies in certain cases

PURPOSE:    Requires  public utility companies to charge volunteer ambu-
lance corps and volunteer fire departments the same  rates  and  charges
applicable to residential customers.

SUMMARY:

Section  1  amends  the Public Service Law by adding a new section 116-a
allowing certain volunteer organizations to  be  treated  as  individual
customers.  Presently,  public  utilities  have  the  option of charging
volunteer ambulance corps and volunteer fire companies commercial  rates
and often do so.

Section  2  amends  section 66 of the Public Service Law by adding a new
subdivision 29. This bill amends  the  public  service  law  to  require
public  utility  companies  to  charge these volunteer organizations the
same rates as residential customers.

JUSTIFICATION:  Volunteer ambulance corps and volunteer  fire  companies
provide essential services to the community. As a matter of public poli-
cy,  volunteer  ambulance corps and volunteer fire departments should be
granted the lowest fees, rates, and charges.

Currently, public utilities have the option of charging volunteer  ambu-
lance  corps  and  volunteer fire departments commercial rates. In other
sections of the Public Services  Law  veteran  organizations,  religious
bodies  and community residences are billed a lower residential rate. It
is appropriate that volunteer  emergency  services  receive  residential
rates as well.

The  increase  cost  of utility services places an unnecessary burden on
these public servants. In rural counties throughout the state,  most  of
the emergency services are volunteer and cannot afford to pay high util-
ity rates.

This  legislation will require public utility companies to charge volun-
teer fire companies and volunteer ambulance corps the same rates, charg-
es, etc. applicable to residential customers for the same  services.  In
addition,  it  prohibits recovery of revenue lost there from, from being
recovered from ratepayers.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  S.5520 of 2012- Referred to Energy and  Telecommu-
nications  S.5520  of  2011-  Referred  to Energy and Telecommunications
S.3470 of 2010- Referred to  Energy  and  Telecommunications  S.5059  of
2006-  Passed Senate S.3032 of 2006- Referred to Energy and Telecommuni-
cations

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None to the state.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  60 days after it becomes law.

S1947-2013 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         1947
 2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 (PREFILED)
 January 9, 2013
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  RITCHIE,  BONACIC,  DeFRANCISCO -- read twice and
 ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
 Energy and Telecommunications
 AN  ACT  to amend the public service law, in relation to charges or fees
 on volunteer ambulance corps and volunteer fire companies  in  certain
 cases
 

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
 116-a to read as follows:

 

S  116-A.  CERTAIN VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS TO BE TREATED AS INDIVIDUAL
 CUSTOMER; CERTAIN CASES.  NO PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY SHALL CHARGE, IMPOSE
 OR COLLECT FROM ANY VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS OR VOLUNTEER FIRE  COMPANY
 ANY  RATE, FEE OR CHARGE NOT OTHERWISE CHARGEABLE TO AN INDIVIDUAL RESI
 DENTIAL CUSTOMER FOR THE SAME OR SIMILAR SERVICE.
 

S 2.

Section 66 of the public service law is amended by adding  a  new
 subdivision 29 to read as follows:

 29.  NO  REVENUE  FORGONE  BY  AN ELECTRIC CORPORATION, AS A RESULT OF
 SUBJECTING VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS AND VOLUNTEER FIRE  COMPANIES  WITH
 RATES  OR  CHARGES  APPLICABLE TO DOMESTIC CONSUMERS PURSUANT TO SECTION
 ONE HUNDRED SIXTEEN-A OF THIS CHAPTER, SHALL BE RECOVERED FROM CUSTOMERS
 OF SUCH CORPORATION.
 

S 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD06535-01-3

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