Bill Text: NJ S1726 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Requires public utilities to set bill due date to no earlier than 28 days past postmarked date if mailed by regular mail or 28 days past sent date if sent electronically.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-29 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [S1726 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2016-S1726-Introduced.html

---

SENATE, No. 1726

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

217th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 29, 2016

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  JOSEPH F. VITALE

District 19 (Middlesex)

Senator  RONALD L. RICE

District 28 (Essex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires public utilities to set bill due date to no earlier than 28 days past postmarked date if mailed by regular mail or 28 days past sent date if sent electronically.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

An Act concerning public utility bills and amending P.L.2003, c.247.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    Section 1 of P.L.2003, c.247 (C.48:3-2.3) is amended to read as follows:

     1.  a.  Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, the board shall not allow a utility to:

     (1)   establish as the date on which payment is due on an unpaid bill a day that is earlier than 28 days after either the postmark date of the bill when sent by regular mail or the sent date of the bill when sent electronically; or

     (2)   assess a late payment charge on an unpaid bill unless the charge is provided for in the utility's applicable rate schedule approved by the board.  A late payment charge shall not be approved by the board if the charge is applicable to bills less than 25 days after rendering.  A late payment charge shall not be approved for a rate schedule applicable to a State, county, or municipal government entity or any residential ratepayer.

     As used in this subsection, a "utility" means a public utility, as public utility is defined in R.S.48:2-13 and including a natural gas pipeline utility as natural gas pipeline utility is defined in section 2 of P.L.1952, c.166 (C.48:10-3), and a municipally-operated utility, insofar as the board's jurisdiction is extended to the municipally-operated utility under any applicable law.  "Utility" shall not mean a local exchange telecommunications company or interexchange telecommunications carrier providing a competitive service as determined by the board pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1991, c.428 (C.48:2-21.19).

     b.    The board may adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of subsection a. of this section.

(cf: P.L.2013, c.181, s.2)

 

     2.    This act shall take effect on the 60th day after the date of enactment, but the Board of Public Utilities may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill provides that the Board of Public Utilities ("board")
shall not allow a public utility to establish, as the date on which payment is due on an unpaid bill, a day that is earlier than 28 days after either: 1) the postmark date of the bill when sent by regular mail; or 2) the sent date of the bill when sent electronically.