Bill Text: NJ S3373 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires BPU to publish plain language summary of its final decision on rate increase filings.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-02-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [S3373 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S3373-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator CARMEN F. AMATO, JR.
District 9 (Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Requires BPU to publish plain language summary of its final decision on rate increase filings.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public information on public utility rate increase filings and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
"Board" means the Board of Public Utilities or any successor agency.
"Public utility" or "utility" has the same meaning as defined in R.S.48:2-13.
b. When the board issues a board order with the board's final decision regarding a public utility's petition to increase the utility's individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule, the board shall include in the board order a plain language summary of the board order. At a minimum, the summary shall:
(1) summarize the contents of the utility's petition;
(2) justify the board's final decision on the petition;
(3) state the petition's impact on affected customers, if any;
(4) list the utility's current individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule, the new individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule, and the total amount of the increase;
(5) state the utility's rate of return;
(6) if the increase is implemented to recover the costs of infrastructure or other investments, provide an expected period of time by which the utility plans to recover those costs;
(7) state when the new individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule will take effect; and
(8) include any other information, as determined by the board.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Board of Public Utilities to include in a board order with the board's final decision regarding a public utility's petition to increase the utility's individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule a plain language summary of the board order. Under the bill, the summary is to include: (1) a summary of the contents of the utility's petition; (2) a justification for the board's final decision on the petition; (3) a statement of the petition's impact on affected customers, if any; (4) the utility's current individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule, the new individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule, and the total amount of increase; (5) the utility's rate of return; (6) if the increase is implemented to recover the costs of infrastructure or other investments, an expected period of time by which the utility plans to recover those costs; (7) when the new individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule will take effect; and (8) any other information, as determined by the board.
With this bill, the sponsor intends to ensure that consumers know what decisions are being made and how those decisions impact their utility rates and payments, especially at a time when utility rates are increasing. Language currently used in board orders makes it difficult for many consumers to fully understand the board orders' impact.
