Bill Text: NJ S302 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Establishes notice requirements for certain water utilities.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-08 - Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee [S302 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2026-S302-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 302

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes notice requirements for certain water utilities.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Economic Growth Committee on June 8, 2026, with amendments.

  

An Act concerning water utility services and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes and Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

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

 

     1.    a.  As used in this section: 

     "Smart meter" means an electronic metering device that measures and records utility usage data in regular intervals on a daily basis and wirelessly transmits this data to a ¹water¹ public utility for billing and other purposes.

     "Smart meter customer" or "customer" means a residential customer of a water public utility whose water usage is measured using a smart meter.

     "Water public utility" or "utility" means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that provides water to end users within the State.

     b.    Each water public utility that utilizes smart meters shall notify all smart meter customers by the last day of each month via, at the customer's discretion, mail, electronic mail, or text message of the customer's water usage.  At a minimum, the notification to smart meter customers shall include: 

     (1)   the cost in dollars of the customer's water usage for the billing cycle up to the time at most two days before which the notification is sent; and

     (2)   the amount in gallons of the customer's water usage for the billing cycle up to the time at most two days before which the notification is sent.

     c.     Each water public utility that utilizes smart meters shall provide all smart meter customers with the option to: 

     (1)   set a threshold dollar value for the cost of monthly water usage at which the water public utility will notify the smart meter customer via the customer's selection of mail, electronic mail, or text message that the smart meter customer has reached the dollar threshold value based on the customer's water usage for that month; and

     (2)   receive a separate notice each billing cycle via mail, electronic mail, or text message that compares the customer's average daily water usage from that billing cycle with the customer's average daily water usage from the previous billing cycle or from the same billing cycle in the previous calendar year.

     d.    (1) Each water public utility shall make initial contact with all smart meter customers regarding the notice required pursuant to subsection b. of this section and the additional notice options available pursuant to subsection c. of this section through a bill insert sent via mail or electronic mail, which bill insert or electronic mail shall include, at a minimum, instructions on how to: 

     (a)   sign up to receive notices from the water public utility pursuant to subsection c. of this section;

     (b)   opt out of notifications provided pursuant to this section; and

     (c)   provide prior, express consent to receive text message notifications from the water public utility pursuant to subsection b. and subsection c. of this section.

     (2)   A water public utility shall not contact a smart meter customer via text message pursuant to subsection b. or subsection c. of this section unless the customer has provided prior, express consent to receive text messages from the utility for the purposes of subsection b. and subsection c. of this section, as appropriate.

     e.     Each water public utility that utilizes smart meters shall include, at a minimum, the following information in each bill issued to all smart meter customers: 

     (1)   the dollar amount charged to the customer by the water public utility in the previous billing cycle;

     (2)   the dollar amount charged to the customer by the water public utility in the current billing cycle;

     (3)   the difference between the amount charged in the previous billing cycle and the current billing cycle; and

     (4)   any tariffs, fees, or taxes assessed to the customer in the current billing cycle.

 

     2.    a.  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 water service.

     "Municipal utility" means a municipal public utility, as defined in N.J.S.40A:1-1, that provides water service.

     "Smart meter" means an electronic metering device that measures and records utility usage data in regular intervals on a daily basis and wirelessly transmits this data to a ¹[public utility] local authority or municipal utility¹ for billing and other purposes.

     "Smart meter customer" or "customer" means a residential customer of a ¹[water public utility] local authority or municipal utility¹ whose water usage is measured using a smart meter.

     b.    Each local authority and each municipal utility that utilizes smart meters shall notify all smart meter customers by the last day of each month via, at the customer's discretion, mail, electronic mail, or text message of the customer's water usage.  At a minimum, the notification to smart meter customers shall include: 

     (1)   the cost in dollars of the customer's water usage for the billing cycle up to the time at most two days before which the notification is sent; and

     (2)   the amount in gallons of the customer's water usage for the billing cycle up to the time at most two days before which the notification is sent.

     c.     Each local authority and each municipal utility that utilizes smart meters shall provide all smart meter customers with the option to: 

     (1)   set a threshold dollar value for the cost of monthly water usage at which the local authority or municipal utility will notify the smart meter customer via the customer's selection of mail, electronic mail, or text message that the smart meter customer has reached the dollar threshold value based on the customer's water usage for that month; and

     (2)   receive a separate notice each billing cycle via mail, electronic mail, or text message that compares the customer's average daily water usage from that billing cycle with the customer's average daily water usage from the previous billing cycle or from the same billing cycle in the previous calendar year.

     d.    (1) Each local authority and each municipal utility shall make initial contact with all smart meter customers regarding the notice required pursuant to subsection b. of this section and the additional notice options available pursuant to subsection c. of this section through a bill insert sent via mail or electronic mail, which bill insert or electronic mail shall include, at a minimum, instructions on how to: 

     (a)   sign up to receive notices from the local authority or municipal utility pursuant to subsection c. of this section;

     (b)   opt out of notifications provided pursuant to this section; and

     (c)   provide prior, express consent to receive text message notifications from the local authority or municipal utility pursuant to subsection b. and subsection c. of this section.

     (2)   A local authority or municipal utility shall not contact a smart meter customer via text message pursuant to subsection b. or subsection c. of this section unless the customer has provided prior, express consent to receive text messages from the local authority or municipal utility for the purposes of subsection b. and subsection c. of this section, as appropriate.

     e.     Each local authority and each municipal utility that utilizes smart meters shall include, at a minimum, the following information in each bill issued to all smart meter customers:

     (1)   the dollar amount charged to the customer by the local authority or municipal utility in the previous billing cycle;

     (2)   the dollar amount charged to the customer by the local authority or municipal utility in the current billing cycle;

     (3)   the difference between the amount charged in the previous billing cycle and the current billing cycle; and

     (4)   any tariffs, fees, or taxes assessed to the customer in the current billing cycle.

 

     3.    This act shall take effect on the 90th day after the date of enactment.