NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A815A
SPONSOR: Jean-Pierre
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring utility
companies to include a notice of public hearings concerning rate
increases
 
PURPOSE OF BILL:
This legislation requires utility companies to post notification of date
and place of proposed hearings concerning rate hikes on the monthly
bills.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Utility rate hikes over the years have been the subject of tremendous
controversy. Many consumers feel that the present system of notification
is inadequate and that the most common method of notification occurs
after the fact via the media or the actual increase in the monthly
payment. This legislation is intended to address the issue of inadequate
notification by requiring utility companies to post the date and place
of the hearings on the customer's bill for service. This is a more
appropriate method of notifying, consumers so that they may plan to
attend the hearing or submit comments.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
1993-1994 - S.5463
1995-1996 - S.896A
1997-1998 - A.8810
1999-2000 - S.719A, A.894A
2001-02 (A.1292/S.1046)
2003-04 (A.65/S.4541)
2005-06 (A.172/S.1248)
2007-08 (S.1732/A.60)
2009-10 (S.3573A/A.4671A)
2011-12 (S.1385/A.4239)
2013-14 (S.1269)
2015-16 (S.3872)
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.