Bill Text: NY S08523 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires utility companies to reimburse consumers for spoilage of food and medication due to the lack of refrigeration in the event of a power outage lasting seventy-two hours or more; imposes a fine of no less than one thousand dollars.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-05-09 - REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS [S08523 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-S08523-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          8523
                    IN SENATE
                                       May 9, 2018
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
          cations
        AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring utility
          companies  to  reimburse  consumers  in the event of a prolonged power
          outage
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section
     2  77-a to read as follows:
     3    § 77-a. Utility reimbursement requirements.  1. In the  event  that  a
     4  residential  home experiences a power outage lasting seventy-two consec-
     5  utive hours or more without having been resolved by the utility company,
     6  the utility company shall be responsible for the following:
     7    (a) Full reimbursement of any food spoiled due to  lack  of  refriger-
     8  ation.   Customers shall provide the utility company an itemized list of
     9  all food spoiled or proof  of  purchase  within  fourteen  days  of  the
    10  outage. The utility company shall reimburse the customer within fourteen
    11  days  of  the  receipt  of  the  itemized list or proof of purchase. The
    12  amount of the reimbursement shall not exceed  a  total  of  two  hundred
    13  twenty-five  dollars  for  customers  who  provide an itemized list. The
    14  amount of the  reimbursement  for  customers  who  provide  an  itemized
    15  receipt may receive the full amount to cover food spoiled.
    16    (b)  Full  reimbursement  of  any  medication  spoiled  due to lack of
    17  refrigeration. Customers shall provide the utility company  an  itemized
    18  list  and  proof  of medication lost due to lack of refrigeration within
    19  fourteen days of the outage. Proof  may  include  pharmacy  prescription
    20  label,  pharmacy receipt or a letter from the prescribing physician. The
    21  utility company shall reimburse the customer within fourteen days of the
    22  receipt of the itemized list and proof of medication lost.
    23    (c) Full reimbursement to local business owners for any  food  spoiled
    24  due  to  lack of refrigeration. Business owners will provide the utility
    25  company with an itemized list for all food spoiled or proof of  purchase
    26  within  fourteen days of the outage. The utility company shall reimburse
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15443-03-8
        S. 8523                             2
     1  the business owner within fourteen days of the receipt of  the  itemized
     2  list  or  proof of purchase. The amount of the reimbursement shall total
     3  no more than five hundred dollars for business  owners  who  provide  an
     4  itemized  list.  The amount of the reimbursement for business owners who
     5  provide an itemized receipt may receive no more than  ten  thousand  two
     6  hundred dollars.
     7    2.  Utility companies that fail to provide a reimbursement to a quali-
     8  fying consumer within the fourteen-day window shall be subject to a fine
     9  to be issued by the commission of no less than one thousand dollars.
    10    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    11  it shall have become a law.