Bill Text: NJ S482 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires electric public utilities to take certain actions in event of outages in age-restricted communities.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-01-13 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [S482 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S482-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator OWEN HENRY
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Requires electric public utilities to take certain actions in event of outages in age-restricted communities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act requiring electric public utilities to take certain actions in the event of an outage in an age-restricted community 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:
"Age-restricted community" means a planned real estate development, as defined in section 3 of P.L.1977, c.419 (C.45:22A-23), consisting of dwelling units governed by a common set of rules, regulations, or restrictions intended and operated for persons 55 years of age or older.
"Electric public utility" means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that distributes electricity to end users within this State.
"Extended power outage" means a disruption in service provided by an electric public utility that lasts more than 24 consecutive hours.
b. In the event that there is an extended power outage, the electric public utility that is responsible for providing the service affected by the extended power outage shall provide the following in every age-restricted community affected by the extended power outage, until restoration of electric service after the extended power outage:
(1) access to potable water by setting up temporary water distribution stations;
(2) cooling stations equipped with air conditioning and adequate seating to accommodate residents or heating stations equipped with heating capabilities and adequate seating to accommodate residents; and
(3) charging stations for electronic devices.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that, in the event of an extended power outage, the electric public utility that is responsible for providing the service affected by the extended power outage is required to, until the restoration of electric service, provide the following in every affected age-restricted community: (1) access to potable water by setting up temporary water distribution stations; (2) cooling stations equipped with air conditioning and adequate seating to accommodate residents or heating stations equipped with heating capabilities and adequate seating; and (3) charging stations for electronic devices.
The bill defines "extended power outage" to mean a disruption in service provided by an electric public utility that lasts more than 24 consecutive hours and "age-restricted community" to mean a planned real estate development consisting of dwelling units governed by a common set of rules, regulations, or restrictions intended and operated for persons 55 years of age or older.
