Bill Text: NJ A4658 | 2014-2015 | 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 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-06-29 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee [A4658 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A4658-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ELIZABETH MAHER MUOIO
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
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, (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.
STATEMENT
This bill requires public
utility employees 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, including, but not limited to an employee or a subcontractor of a public utility.
A violation of the bill's provisions is to result in a fine imposed by the Board of Public Utilities 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.
