Bill Text: NJ S2254 | 2026-2027 | 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.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-01-13 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [S2254 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S2254-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
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
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
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. "Municipal utility" shall include any other water commission that provides water or wastewater service in this State.
"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] and any other utility assistance program administered by the State. The Department of Community Affairs shall also maintain at least one Internet website that provides information on all such programs.
[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 or with each bill sent to a residential customer if one or more utility assistance programs relevant to the service being billed are available to residential customers;
(b) in any written or non-written communication to a residential customer in connection with an overdue utility bill if one or more utility assistance programs relevant to the overdue utility bill are available to residential customers; and
(c) on its Internet website, in a location most likely to be seen by residential customers seeking information about paying their bills.
(2) The information provided pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall also prominently include information regarding any other State or federal utility assistance program that the local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative knows is available to its customers any utility assistance program funded or administered, in whole or in part, by the local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative. Nothing in this paragraph shall require a local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative to provide information regarding a utility assistance program funded or administered by another local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative.
d. (1) If one or more utility assistance programs relevant to the service being billed are available to residential customers, 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 by 10 percent or more of the population, apart from English, in the municipality where the residential customer resides:
(a) a statement that utility assistance programs providing assistance with overdue bills and discounts on future bills may be available to residential customers;
(b) an Internet website and a phone number residential customers can use to get more information on each relevant program, including the applicable Internet website and phone number maintained pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection b. of this section; and
(c) the specific Internet webpage of the local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative, as appropriate , that includes the information that is maintained pursuant to subparagraph (c) of paragraph (1) of subsection c. of this section.
(2) In addition to the information otherwise required pursuant to this section, 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, each local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative shall include with each notice of discontinuance to a residential customer a notice of residential customer rights under the program; provided that, a local utility or municipal utility shall not be required to provide such notice if the local authority or municipal utility does not have a current ordinance, resolution, or written policy authorizing service discontinuance between November 15 and March 15 as a means of enforcement for residential customer nonpayment, and does not otherwise discontinue service to residential ratepayers during that period for nonpayment in the absence of an authorizing ordinance, resolution, or written policy.
(3) Any residential customer bill or any written communication in connection with an overdue utility bill from a local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative, which bill or written communication otherwise complies with the requirements of this section, may include the information required pursuant to this section on the bill or written communication itself or as a separate document provided to the residential customer at the same time the bill or written communication is provided to the residential customer.
(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 current the required public information 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 also requires the DCA to maintain at least one Internet website that provides information on all the utility assistance programs administered by the State.
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 or with each bill sent to a residential customer if one or more utility assistance programs relevant to the service being billed are available to residential customers; (2) in any written or non-written communication to a residential customer in connection with an overdue utility bill if one or more utility assistance programs relevant to the overdue utility bill are available to residential customers; 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 prominently include information on any other State or federal utility assistance program that it knows is available to its customers and any utility assistance program funded or administered 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 by 10 percent or more of the population, apart from English, in the municipality where the residential customer resides: (1) a statement that utility assistance programs providing help with overdue bills and discounts on future bills 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, including the applicable Internet website and phone number maintained by certain State entities; and (3) the specific Internet webpage of the local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative as appropriate, that includes then information about certain utility assistance programs required by the bill. This bill also provides that a residential customer bill or written communication in connection with an overdue utility bill may include the information either on the bill or written communication itself or as a separate document provided to the residential customer at the same time the bill or written communication is provided to the residential customer.
The bill requires each local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative to include in each notice of discontinuance during the months in which the "Winter Termination Program" is active, a notice of residential customer rights under the program. Certain exceptions are provided for notice of customer rights under the program for a local authority and municipal utility as provided in the bill.
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.
