Bill Text: NJ S856 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires public utilities to set bill due date to no earlier than 28 days past postmarked date if mailed by regular mail, or 28 days past sent date if sent electronically.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-14 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [S856 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S856-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH F. VITALE
District 19 (Middlesex)
Senator SANDRA B. CUNNINGHAM
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Requires public utilities to set bill due date to no earlier than 28 days past postmarked date if mailed by regular mail, or 28 days past sent date if sent electronically.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning public utility bills and amending P.L.2003, c.247.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2003, c.247 (C.48:3-2.3) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, regulation or order to the contrary, the board shall not allow a utility to:
(1) establish, as the date on which payment is due on an unpaid bill, a day that is earlier than 28 days after either the postmark date of such bill when sent by regular mail, or the sent date of such bill when sent electronically; or
(2) assess a late payment charge on an unpaid bill unless such charge is provided for in the utility's applicable rate schedule approved by the board. A late payment charge shall not be approved by the board if it is applicable to bills less than 25 days after rendering. A late payment charge shall not be approved for a rate schedule applicable to a State, county or municipal government entity or any residential ratepayer.
As used in this subsection, a "utility" means a public utility, as public utility is defined in R.S.48:2-13 and including a natural gas pipeline utility as natural gas pipeline utility is defined in section 2 of P.L.1952, c.166 (C.48:10-3), and a municipally-operated utility, insofar as the board's jurisdiction is extended to the municipally-operated utility under any applicable law.
b. The board may adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of subsection a. of this section.
(cf: P.L.2003, c.247, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect on the 60th day after the date of enactment, but the Board of Public Utilities may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that the Board of Public Utilities ("board") shall not allow a public utility to establish, as the date on which payment is due on an unpaid bill, a day that is earlier than 28 days after either: 1) the postmark date of such bill when sent by regular mail; or 2) the sent date of such bill when sent electronically.
