Bill Text: NJ A2616 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires public utility employees to immediately place 9-1-1 call to report emergencies that arise from work conducted by public utility employees.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-09-24 - Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading [A2616 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A2616-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires public utility employees to immediately place 9-1-1 call to report emergencies that arise from work conducted by public utility employees.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring public utility employees to notify 9-1-1 of certain emergencies and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"Base rate case" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 2 of P.L.1995, c.180 (C.48:2-21.25).
"Board" means the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities or any successor agency.
"Emergency" means any condition that is a clear and present danger to life, health, or property.
"Public utility" means a "public utility" as provided in R.S.48:2-13, a municipal system or a rural electric cooperative as provided in section 39 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-88), a "cable television company" as provided in section 3 of P.L.1972, c.186 (C.48:5A-3), a "local exchange telecommunications company" as provided in section 2 of P.L.1991, c.428 (C.48:2-21.17), and any governmental entity that provides water or sewer services to customers in this State.
"Public utility employee" or "employee" means any person who works on behalf of a public utility.
2. a. A public utility employee shall immediately place a 9-1-1 call to report an emergency which results from or is associated with work performed by a public utility employee. A public utility shall implement a program to ensure its employees are trained as to matters, which include, but are not limited to:
(1) the roles, responsibilities, and anticipated sequence of actions for all of its emergency response personnel;
(2) locating natural gas pipelines and identifying natural gas leaks; and
(3) the importance of local emergency response assistance.
b. A violation of subsection a. of this section shall result in a fine imposed by the board in the amount of $5,000 for the first offense, $10,000 for the second offense, and $20,000 for the third and each subsequent offense. Any fine imposed pursuant to this subsection shall not be recoverable in a base rate case.
3. This act shall take
effect immediately, but shall remain inoperative for 90 days from the effective
date of the bill.
STATEMENT
This bill requires a public utility employee to immediately place a 9-1-1 call to report an emergency which results from or is associated with work performed by a public utility employee.
The bill also requires a public utility to implement a program to ensure its employees are trained as to matters, which include, but are not limited to: (1) the roles, responsibilities, and anticipated sequence of actions for all of its emergency response personnel; (2) locating natural gas pipelines and identifying natural gas leaks; and (3) the importance of local emergency response assistance. Under the bill, "public utility employee" means any person who works on behalf of a public utility.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities is to impose a fine for a violation of the bill's provisions in the amount of $5,000 for the first offense, $10,000 for the second offense, and $20,000 for the third and each subsequent offense. Any fine imposed pursuant to the bill's provisions is not to be recoverable by a public utility in a base rate case.
