NY State Senate Bill 2017-S131

Senate Bill S131

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Requires gas and electric utilities to make available to landlords upon request information concerning gas and electric charges incurred for residential premises

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 04, 2017	referred to energy and telecommunications

2017-S131 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Add §66-o, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S8097
2011-2012: S1878
2013-2014: S1736
2015-2016: S1780
2019-2020: S2749
2021-2022: S5841
2023-2024: S2879

2017-S131 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires gas and electric utilities to make available to landlords or lessors, upon request of prospective tenants or lessees, information concerning gas and electric charges incurred for residential rental premises.

2017-S131 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S131

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to making gas and
electric billing information for residential rental premises available
upon request

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

Requires gas and electric utility companies to make available to any
landlord and lessor of residential rental premises, upon the request
of a prospective tenant or lessor of a residential unit, information
concerning gas and electric charges incurred from prior occupants of
the dwelling.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

The public service law is amended by adding a new section 66-o to
require gas and electric utilities to make available to persons upon
request information concerning gas and electric charges incurred for
residential premises.

 JUSTIFICATION :

People should have the right to inquire from a gas and electric

company the amount of the bills being paid for heat and electric
service by the prior customer before they move into a residence. They
should not have to rely on a landlord or homeowner's word about how
much it costs to heat a residence.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

S1780 (2015-2016): REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
S1736 (2013-2014): REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
S1878 (2011-2012): REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
S8087 (2010): THIRD READING
S8087 (2009) ORDERED TO RULES
A.5049 (2007-08): Referred to Energy and Telecommunications
A.9711 (2005-06): Referred to Rules
A.4794 (2003-04): Referred to Corps
A.1967 (2001-02): Passed Assembly

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law: provided that the public service commission
is authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take
any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective
date on or before such date.

2017-S131 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    131
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 4, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. SQUADRON -- 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 making gas and
   electric billing information for residential rental premises available
   upon request
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section
 66-o to read as follows:
   § 66-O. GAS AND ELECTRIC BILLING INFORMATION  FOR  RESIDENTIAL  RENTAL
 PREMISES.  EVERY  GAS CORPORATION, ELECTRIC CORPORATION AND MUNICIPALITY
 SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE TO ANY LANDLORD OR  LESSOR  OF  RESIDENTIAL  RENTAL
 PREMISES,  WITHIN  TEN  DAYS OF RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN OR INTERNET REQUEST
 THEREFOR FROM ANY PROSPECTIVE TENANT OR LESSEE  THEREOF,  PRIOR  TO  THE
 COMMENCEMENT  OF TENANCY OR EXECUTION OF A LEASE, INFORMATION CONSISTING
 OF THE AVERAGE MONTHLY CHARGES INCURRED AT  SUCH  PREMISES  FOR  GAS  OR
 ELECTRIC  SERVICE  OR  BOTH  FOR  THE  LIFE  OF THE DWELLING UNIT OR THE
 PRECEDING TWO YEAR PERIOD, WHICHEVER IS SHORTER.    THE  LETTER  BY  THE
 PROSPECTIVE TENANT OR LESSEE SHALL INCLUDE THEIR NAME, ADDRESS, DRIVER'S
 LICENSE  NUMBER  OR  SOCIAL  SECURITY  NUMBER OR TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION
 NUMBER OR NON-DRIVER ID CARD OR ANY OFFICIAL DOCUMENTED OR  UNDOCUMENTED
 IMMIGRATION IDENTIFICATION, SIGNATURE, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS BILLING
 INFORMATION  REQUESTED  MAY  ONLY BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING
 PRIOR GAS AND ELECTRIC USAGE AS A  FACTOR  IN  DECIDING  TO  OCCUPY  THE
 DWELLING  UNIT.  EACH PROSPECTIVE TENANT OR LESSEE IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL
 OF FIVE REQUESTS IN A CALENDAR YEAR WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.   SUCH
 INFORMATION  SHALL  BE  IDENTIFIED SOLELY BY THE ADDRESS OF THE DWELLING
 UNIT, AND NO OTHER INFORMATION IDENTIFYING THE OWNER, LESSEE,  OR  OTHER
 OCCUPANT  OF  THE DWELLING UNIT SHALL BE UTILIZED FOR, OR MADE AVAILABLE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02673-01-7

 S. 131                              2
 
 IN CONNECTION WITH, THE FURNISHING OF BILLING  INFORMATION  PURSUANT  TO
 THIS SECTION.  SUCH INFORMATION SHALL BE FURNISHED TO BOTH  THE LANDLORD
 OR  LESSOR AND TO THE PROSPECTIVE TENANT OR LESSEE WITH AN IMPOSITION OF
 A  FIVE DOLLAR CHARGE TO THE PROSPECTIVE TENANT OR LESSEE REQUESTING THE
 BILLING INFORMATION PAYABLE TO THE GAS CORPORATION, ELECTRIC CORPORATION
 AND MUNICIPALITY PROVIDING SUCH INFORMATION.
   § 2. The public service commission is directed to: (a) create a  proc-
 ess whereby a prospective tenant or lessee may obtain by written request
 or  by  the  internet  to  the gas corporation, electric corporation and
 municipality the average monthly electric and gas charges for  the  life
 of  the  dwelling  unit  or  the preceding two year period, whichever is
 shorter, prior to the commencement of tenancy or execution  of  a  lease
 while  maintaining  the  privacy  of  the  current tenant or lessor; (b)
 ensure the request is made only for the purpose of deciding  whether  to
 occupy  a  dwelling  unit;  and  (c) determine the cost of providing the
 information by the utility and assess a fee to the prospective tenant or
 lessee requesting the information payable to the gas corporation,  elec-
 tric corporation and municipality providing the information.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it  shall have become a law; provided that the public service commission
 is authorized to  promulgate any and all rules and regulations and  take
 any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective date
 on or before such date.

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