Bill Text: NJ S3152 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Concerns notification requirements for certain utility assistance programs; repeals law establishing notification requirements for public and local utilities during coronavirus 2019 pandemic.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-16 - Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee [S3152 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S3152-Amended.html
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
As reported by the Senate Economic Growth Committee on May 16, 2024, with amendments.
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. 1"Municipal utility" shall include any other water commission that provides water or wastewater service in this State.1
"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.1[,the "Low Income Household Water Assistance Program," established pursuant to the "Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021," Pub.L.116-260]1 [,]; or any other utility assistance program administered by the State.
[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 1or with1 each bill sent to a residential customer 1if one or more utility assistance programs relevant to the service being billed are available to residential customers1;
(b) in any written or non-written communication to a residential customer in connection with an overdue utility bill 1if one or more utility assistance programs relevant to the overdue utility bill are available to residential customers1; and
(c) on its Internet website, in a location most likely to be seen by residential customers seeking information about paying their bills.
(2) In addition to the information otherwise required pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the public information provided by a local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative shall prominently include information regarding any other 1State or federal1 utility assistance program that the local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative knows is available to its customers1[, including any utility assistance program not administered by the State. For purposes of this paragraph, a utility assistance program includes, but is not limited to, a program funded or administered, in whole or in part, by a local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative] and 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 cooperative1.
d. 1[A] (1) If one or more utility assistance programs relevant to the service being billed are available to residential customers, a1 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, apart from English, in the county where the residential customer resides:
1[(1)] (a)1 a statement that utility assistance programs may be available to residential customers;
1[(2)] (b)1 an Internet website and a phone number residential customers can use to get more information on each relevant program1; and
(c) the website or the local authority, municipal utility, public utility, or rural electric cooperative, as appropriate.1
1[(3) 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, a notice of residential customer rights under the program] (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 customer1.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.4, s.3)
2. P.L.2021, c.97 is repealed.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
