Bill Text: NJ A4851 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Concerns notification requirements for certain utility assistance programs; repeals law establishing notification requirements for public and local utilities during coronavirus 2019 pandemic.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-09-23 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee [A4851 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4851-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GARY S. SCHAER
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns notification requirements for certain utility assistance programs; repeals law establishing notification requirements for public and local utilities during coronavirus 2019 pandemic.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning notification requirements for certain utility assistance programs, amending P.L.2022, c.4, and repealing P.L.2021, c.97.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.2022, c.4 (C.48:2-29.60) is amended to read as follows:
3. a. [Upon the effective date of P.L.2022, c.4 (C.48:2-29.60 et al.), the] As used in this section:
"Local authority" means an authority, as defined in section 3 of P.L.1983, c.313 (C.40A:5A-3), or a water district established pursuant to R.S.40:62-96 et seq., that provides electric, sewer, or water service.
"Municipal utility" means a municipal public utility, as defined in N.J.S.40A:1-1, or a joint meeting or regional service agency, as defined in section 3 of P.L.2007, c. 63 (C.40A:65-3), that provides electric, sewer, or water service, or a water commission appointed pursuant to R.S.40:62-109 that provides water or wastewater service.
"Public utility" means a public utility, as defined pursuant to R.S.48:2-13, that provides electric, gas, sewer, or water service.
b. (1) The Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Human Services, the Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility assistance program shall update and maintain current all public information, including written materials, advertisements, [and] Internet websites, and a phone number customers can call to get more information, regarding the availability of the "Winter Termination Program," [set forth in N.J.A.C.14:3-3A.5,] established pursuant to sections 3 through 8 of P.L.2021, c.317 (C.40A:5A-28 through C.40A:5A-30 and C.48:2-29.54 through C.48:2-29.56); utility assistance from the "Universal Service Fund," established pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-60)[,]; the "Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program," established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. s.8621 et seq., the "Low Income Household Water Assistance Program," established pursuant to the "Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021," Pub.L.116-260[,]; or any other utility assistance program administered by the State.
[The] (2) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, and for as long as a utility assistance program is accepting applications and has available funding, the public information required pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall prominently include a statement of the consumer protections a residential [customers] customer shall receive if the customer has submitted [an application for a utility assistance program] or completed an application for [a] the utility assistance program.
[b.] c. (1) Each local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative shall prominently provide the information [in] required pursuant to subsection [a.] b. of this [subsection] section as follows:
(a) on each bill sent to a residential customer;
(b) in any written or non-written communication to a residential customer in connection with an overdue utility bill; and
(c) on its Internet website, in a location most likely to be seen by residential customers seeking information about paying their bills.
(2) In addition to the information otherwise required pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the public information provided by a local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative shall prominently include information regarding any other utility assistance program that the local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative knows is available to its customers, including any utility assistance program not administered by the State. For purposes of this paragraph, a utility assistance program includes, but is not limited to, a program funded or administered, in whole or in part, by a local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative.
d. A residential customer bill or written communication in connection with an overdue utility bill from a local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative shall be deemed in compliance with this section if the bill or communication prominently includes, in English and the most common language spoken, apart from English, in the county where the residential customer resides:
(1) a statement that utility assistance programs may be available to residential customers;
(2) an Internet website and a phone number residential customers can use to get more information on each relevant program; and
(3) during the months in which the "Winter Termination Program," established pursuant to sections 3 through 8 of P.L.2021, c.317 (C.40A:5A-28 through C.40A:5A-30 and C.48:2-29.54 through C.48:2-29.56), is active, a notice of residential customer rights under the program.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.4, s.3)
2. P.L.2021, c.97 is repealed.
3. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill amends existing notification requirements for certain utility assistance programs. Under current law, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), and any other State agency that administers a utility assistance program is required to update all public information, including written materials, advertisements, and websites, regarding the availability of any utility assistance programs administered by the State. The public information is to prominently include a statement of the consumer protections residential customers are required to receive if the customer has submitted an application for a utility assistance program or completed an application for a utility assistance program. Each local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative is required under current law to provide the same public information in any communication to a residential customer in connection with an overdue utility bill.
Under the bill, definitions are included for the terms "local authority," municipal utility," and "public utility." The bill adds a requirement that the DCA, the DHS, the BPU, and any other State agency that administers a utility assistance program maintain the required public information current and that they provide a phone number for customers to call for more information. The required public information is to prominently include, for as long as a utility assistance program is accepting applications and has available funding, a statement of the consumer protections a residential customer is entitled to receive if the customer has submitted an application for a utility assistance program or completed an application for a utility assistance program.
The bill requires that each local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative prominently provide the public information required by the bill: (1) on each bill sent to a residential customer; (2) in any written or non-written communication to a residential customer in connection with an overdue utility bill; and (3) on its Internet website, in a location most likely to be seen by residential customers seeking information about paying their bills. Additionally, a local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative is required to include, in the public information, information on any utility assistance program, including any program not administered by the State, that it knows is available to its customers. Such utility assistance programs include, but are not limited to, any program funded or administered, in whole or in part, by the local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative.
The bill provides that a utility bill or written communication in connection with an overdue utility bill may comply with this public information requirement if it prominently includes, in English and the most common language spoken, apart from English, in the county where the residential customer resides: (1) a statement that utility assistance programs may be available to residential customers; (2) an Internet website and a phone number residential customers can use to get more information on each relevant program; and (3) during the months in which the "Winter Termination Program" is active, a notice of residential customer rights under the program.
The bill also repeals P.L.2021, c.97, a law requiring public utilities and local utilities to provide certain notifications to residential customers of information and resources available to residential customers concerning public utility and local utility service and bill payment assistance during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic.
Under P.L.2021, c.97, the notification is required to be provided monthly, in a form and manner determined by the Board of Public Utilities or Department of Community Affairs until 18 months after the date of the termination of Executive Order No. 103 of 2020, which authorized the State of Emergency in response to the coronavirus 2019 pandemic. P.L.2021, c.97 also requires the information to be published on public utilities' and local utilities' Internet websites. Under this bill, the notification requirements of P.L.2021, c.97 are repealed.
