NY State Senate Bill 2015-S5083

Senate Bill S5083

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Provides consumers the option to elect not to use transmitting utility meters and provides that the commission shall not charge a fee to consumers making such election

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2016	referred to energy and telecommunications
Apr 30, 2015	referred to energy and telecommunications

2015-S5083 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Add §67-b, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S7184
2013-2014: S3379

2015-S5083 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides consumers the option to elect not to use transmitting utility meters and provides that the commission shall not charge a fee to consumers making such election.

2015-S5083 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S5083

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the public service law, in relation to
providing consumers the option to elect not to use transmitting
utility meters

PURPOSE:  Provides consumers the option to elect not to use smart
meters and provides that the commission shall not charge a fee to
consumers making such election.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:  Adds Section 67-b to the Public Service law.

EXISTING LAW:  Smart meters arc an advancement in technology that
allows utility companies to track a customer's electricity consumption
remotely, eliminating the need to send workers to the house. The smart
meters are intended to give consumers information about their
consumption and educate owners on their usage.

However, there is a public sentiment that this information has the
potential to expose private information about homeowners and their
schedules. Many believe that the smart meters have the potential of
being hacked into, similar to criminals accessing credit card
information through hacking into unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Consumers
have expressed concern that the information collected by a smart meter
has the potential to give criminals a schedule for when a house is
most likely empty.

It is important to ensure that the homeowner's light to privacy is not
infringed upon. Until a code or a regulation is implemented that can
guarantee the security of the information collected by the smart
meters, consumers should have the option to elect not to use a smart
meter.

In response to consumers concerns, over the past year, the Public
Utilities Commissions of California, Maine, and Nevada have all issued
orders that allow customers to opt out of smart meters. In March 2012,
the Georgia State Senate also passed legislation allowing customers to
opt out of smart meters.

JUSTIFICATION:  Smart meters arc an advancement in technology that
allows utility companies to track a customer's electricity consumption
remotely, eliminating the need to send workers to the house. The smart
meters are intended to give consumers information about their
consumption and educate owners on their usage.

However, there is a public sentiment that this information has the
potential to expose private information about homeowners and their
schedules. Many believe that the smart meters have the potential of
being hacked into, similar to criminals accessing credit card
information through hacking into unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Consumers
have expressed concern that the information collected by a smart meter
has the potential to give criminals a schedule for when a house is
most likely empty.

It is important to ensure that the homeowner's light to privacy is not
infringed upon. Until a code or a regulation is implemented that can
guarantee the security of the information collected by the smart


meters, consumers should have the option to elect not to use a smart
meter.

In response to consumers concerns, over the past year, the Public
Utilities Commissions of California, Maine, and Nevada have all issued
orders that allow customers to opt out of smart meters. In March 2012,
the Georgia State Senate also passed legislation allowing customers to
opt out of smart meters.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2012 S.7184 - Finance Committee. 2014 A7799A.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act would take effect immediately.

2015-S5083 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  5083

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             April 30, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  GRIFFO -- 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 consum-
  ers the option to elect not to use transmitting utility meters

  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
67-b to read as follows:
  S 67-B. TRANSMITTING UTILITY METER; ELECTION NOT TO USE. NOTWITHSTAND-
ING  ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, THE COMMISSION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE
THAT CONSUMERS MAY ELECT NOT TO USE TRANSMITTING UTILITY METERS  OF  ANY
INVESTOR OWNED ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY SUBJECT TO REGULATION BY
THE  COMMISSION; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE COMMISSION SHALL NOT CREATE
AND REGULATE A SURCHARGE FOR CONSUMERS WHO MAKE SUCH  AN  ELECTION.  FOR
PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "TRANSMITTING UTILITY METER" MEANS AN
ELECTRIC  METER  THAT  IS  CAPABLE  OF RECORDING CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRIC
ENERGY AND COMMUNICATING SUCH  INFORMATION  UTILIZING  TWO-WAY  COMMUNI-
CATION  BETWEEN  THE  METER AND THE ELECTRIC SUPPLIER FOR MONITORING AND
BILLING PURPOSES.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.




 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD07212-01-5

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