S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7028--A
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
April 30, 2013
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Introduced by M. of A. RYAN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Energy -- recommitted to the Committee on Energy in accordance with
Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to a rate classi-
fication for volunteer emergency response organizations
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. Volunteer emergency
response organizations provide a public benefit to the state of New York
and lessen the burdens of government. Further, members of these not-for-
profit organizations risk their lives to ensure the safety, health and
general welfare of our citizens. In the past, the state of New York
recognized the value of similar organizations and the sacrifices of
their members when it established a reduced utility rate for veterans'
organizations. Therefore, the legislature hereby finds and declares that
volunteer emergency response organizations and veterans' organizations
are similarly situated in their structures, practices and actions, and
further finds and declares that a reduced utility rate is justified for
volunteer emergency response organizations to help ensure their contin-
ued operation.
S 2. Subdivision 14 of section 66 of the public service law, as
amended by chapter 696 of the laws of 1936, is amended to read as
follows:
14. (A) The commission shall have power to require each gas corpo-
ration and electric corporation to establish classifications of service
based upon the quantity used, the time when used, the purpose for which
used, the duration of use and upon any other reasonable consideration,
and to establish in connection therewith just and reasonable graduated
rates and charges; and it shall have power, either upon complaint or
upon its own motion, to require such changes in such classifications,
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06184-03-4
A. 7028--A 2
rates and charges as it shall determine to be just and reasonable.
Neither the scheduled rates nor the minimum charge for residential
customers shall, after July first, nineteen hundred thirty-seven, be
based in any manner on the number of outlets, number of rooms, cubic or
square foot area or other such standards.
(B) IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COMMIS-
SION SHALL REQUIRE EACH GAS CORPORATION AND ELECTRIC CORPORATION TO
ESTABLISH BY JANUARY 1, 2015 A CLASSIFICATION OF SERVICE FOR VOLUNTEER
EMERGENCY RESPONSE ORGANIZATIONS IN WHICH THE RATE FOR ANY GAS OR ELEC-
TRIC SERVICE UTILIZED EXCLUSIVELY IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH VOLUNTEER
EMERGENCY RESPONSE ORGANIZATION SHALL BE NO GREATER THAN THE RATE
CHARGED TO VETERANS' ORGANIZATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVENTY-SIX OF
THIS ARTICLE THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE SAME VILLAGE, TOWN OR MUNICI-
PALITY. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM "VOLUNTEER EMER-
GENCY RESPONSE ORGANIZATION" SHALL MEAN A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY AND/OR
A VOLUNTARY AMBULANCE SERVICE AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN SECTION ONE
HUNDRED OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW.
S 3. Subdivision 28 of section 66 of the public service law, as added
by chapter 82 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:
28. (A) No revenues foregone by an electric corporation, as a result
of subjecting certain veterans' organizations with rates or charges
applicable to domestic consumers pursuant to section seventy-six of this
article, shall be recovered from the customers of such corporation.
(B) NO REVENUES FOREGONE BY A GAS CORPORATION OR AN ELECTRIC CORPO-
RATION, AS A RESULT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CLASSIFICATION OF SERVICE
FOR VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY RESPONSE ORGANIZATIONS PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION
FOURTEEN OF THIS SECTION, SHALL BE RECOVERED FROM THE CUSTOMERS OF SUCH
CORPORATION.
S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.