Bill Text: NJ A2580 | 2020-2021 | 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) 2020-02-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee [A2580 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A2580-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):
"Board" means the 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 on a public utility pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall not be recoverable from ratepayers.
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 on a public utility pursuant to the bill's provisions is not to be recoverable from ratepayers.
