NY State Senate Bill 2017-S6862A

Senate Bill S6862A

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Requires the public service commission to retain an independent auditor to conduct audits of private water utility companies prior to and after rate changes are approved by the public service commission

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly 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

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 07, 2018	referred to corporations, authorities and commissions delivered to assembly passed senate
Feb 06, 2018	advanced to third reading
Feb 05, 2018	2nd report cal.
Jan 30, 2018	1st report cal.334
Jan 05, 2018	print number 6862a
Jan 05, 2018	amend (t) and recommit to energy and telecommunications
Jan 03, 2018	referred to energy and telecommunications
Sep 06, 2017	referred to rules

Votes

- May 7, 2018 - Floor Vote
  S6862A
  
  62
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  1
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Floor Vote: May 7, 2018
      
      aye (62)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Akshar
      
      Alcantara
      
      Amedore
      
      Avella
      
      Bailey
      
      Benjamin
      
      Bonacic
      
      Boyle
      
      Breslin
      
      Brooks
      
      Carlucci
      
      Comrie
      
      Croci
      
      DeFrancisco
      
      Dilan
      
      Felder
      
      Flanagan
      
      Funke
      
      Gallivan
      
      Gianaris
      
      Golden
      
      Griffo
      
      Hamilton
      
      Hannon
      
      Helming
      
      Hoylman-Sigal
      
      Jacobs
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Kavanagh
      
      Kennedy
      
      Klein
      
      Krueger
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Larkin
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Marchione
      
      Mayer
      
      Montgomery
      
      Murphy
      
      O'Mara
      
      Ortt
      
      Parker
      
      Peralta
      
      Persaud
      
      Phillips
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Ritchie
      
      Rivera
      
      Robach
      
      Sanders Jr.
      
      Savino
      
      Serino
      
      Serrano
      
      Seward
      
      Stavisky
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      Tedisco
      
      Valesky
      
      Young
      
      excused (1)
      
      Sepúlveda
  Jan 30, 2018 - Energy And Telecommunications Committee Vote
  S6862A
  
  10
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Energy And Telecommunications Committee Vote: Jan 30, 2018
      
      aye (10)
      
      Comrie
      
      Croci
      
      Dilan
      
      Griffo
      
      Kennedy
      
      Little
      
      O'Mara
      
      Parker
      
      Peralta
      
      Ritchie
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Ortt

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2017-S6862 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8740
Current Committee:: Assembly Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §89-c, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S20, A4411
2021-2022: S3022, A5165
2023-2024: S7341

2017-S6862 - Summary

2017-S6862 - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S6862

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring the
state comptroller to conduct audits of private water utility companies
prior to and after rate changes are approved by the public service
commission

 PURPOSE :

This legislation would require the state comptroller to conduct audits
of private water utility companies prior to and after rate changes are
approved by the public service commission.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Subdivision 10 of section 89-c of the public service law is amended

 JUSTIFICATION :

Nearly ninety-five percent of all New Yorkers receive water from
public water supply systems in New York State. Private water utility
companies service the remaining customers.

Consumers have no choice who provides their water. Public water

utilities are exempt from property taxes. Private water utilities are
not. Private water utilities can pass the expense of these taxes on to
their customers and create bills, which in many cases, are
dramatically higher than public water utilities.

When private companies seek and receive rate increases from the Public
Service Commission, the corresponding water bill spikes can be
dramatic. Consumers required to pay these large charges deserve to
know that the company's finances are in order and that all laws
regulating their costs, profits and expenditures are being followed.

This legislation would require the state comptroller to conduct audits
of private water utility companies prior to and one year after rate
changes are approved by the public service commission.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.

2017-S6862 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6862
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             September 6, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MARCELLINO  -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in  relation  to  requiring  the
   state comptroller to conduct audits of private water utility companies
   prior  to  and  after  rate changes are approved by the public service
   commission
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 10 of section 89-c of the public service law is
 amended by adding a new paragraph (b-1) to read as follows:
   (B-1) PRIOR TO THE APPROVAL BY THE COMMISSION OF A CHANGE BY A PRIVATE
 WATER  UTILITY COMPANY IN ANY RATE OR CHARGE, OR IN ANY FORM OF CONTRACT
 OR AGREEMENT OR ANY RULE OR REGULATION RELATING TO ANY RATE,  CHARGE  OR
 SERVICE,  OR IN ANY GENERAL PRIVILEGE OR FACILITY, THE STATE COMPTROLLER
 HAS CONDUCTED AN AUDIT OF SUCH PRIVATE WATER UTILITY COMPANY AND PROVIDE
 HIS OR HER FINDINGS TO THE COMMISSION. IN THE EVENT OF APPROVAL  BY  THE
 COMMISSION OF ANY SUCH CHANGE BY A PRIVATE WATER UTILITY COMPANY IN RATE
 OR  CHARGE, OR IN ANY FORM OF CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT OR ANY RULE OR REGU-
 LATION RELATING TO ANY RATE, CHARGE OR SERVICE, OR IN ANY GENERAL PRIVI-
 LEGE OR FACILITY, THE STATE COMPTROLLER SHALL CONDUCT A SECOND AUDIT  OF
 THE  PRIVATE  WATER  UTILITY  COMPANY  ONE  YEAR  AFTER THE CHANGE TAKES
 EFFECT.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13441-02-7

co-Sponsors

2017-S6862A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8740
Current Committee:: Assembly Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §89-c, Pub Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S20, A4411
2021-2022: S3022, A5165
2023-2024: S7341

2017-S6862A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S6862A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S6862A

SPONSOR: MARCELLINO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring the
public service commission retain an independent auditor to conduct
audits of private water utility companies prior to and after rate chang-
es are approved by the public service commission

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation would require the public service commission to retain
an independent auditor to conduct audits of private water utility compa-
nies prior to and after rate changes are approved by the public service
commission.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Subdivision 10 of section 89-c of the public service law is amended to
require the public service commission to retain an independent auditor

to conduct audits of private water utility companies prior to and after
rate changes are approved by the public service commission.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Nearly ninety-five percent of all New Yorkers receive water from public
water supply systems in New York State. Private water utility companies
service the remaining customers.

Consumers have no choice who provides their water. Public water utili-
ties are exempt from property taxes. Private water utilities are not.
Private water utilities can pass the expense of these taxes on to their
customers and create bills, which in many cases, are dramatically higher
than public water utilities.

When private companies seek and receive rate increases from the Public
Service Commission, the corresponding water bill spikes can be dramatic.
Consumers required to pay these large charges deserve to know that the
company's finances are in order and that all laws regulating their
costs, profits and expenditures are being followed.

This legislation would require the public service commission to retain
an independent auditor to conduct audits of private water utility compa-
nies prior to and after rate changes are approved by the public service
commission.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2017-S6862A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6862--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             September 6, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MARCELLINO  -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules --  recommitted
   to  the  Committee on Energy and Telecommunications in accordance with
   Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN  ACT  to  amend  the public service law, in relation to requiring the
   public service commission retain an  independent  auditor  to  conduct
   audits  of  private  water  utility  companies prior to and after rate
   changes are approved by the public service commission
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 10 of section 89-c of the public service law is
 amended by adding a new paragraph (b-1) to read as follows:
   (B-1) PRIOR TO THE APPROVAL BY THE COMMISSION OF A CHANGE BY A PRIVATE
 WATER  UTILITY COMPANY IN ANY RATE OR CHARGE, OR IN ANY FORM OF CONTRACT
 OR AGREEMENT OR ANY RULE OR REGULATION RELATING TO ANY RATE,  CHARGE  OR
 SERVICE, OR IN ANY GENERAL PRIVILEGE OR FACILITY, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
 RETAIN  A  THIRD-PARTY AUDITOR TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT OF SUCH PRIVATE WATER
 UTILITY COMPANY AND PROVIDE HIS OR HER FINDINGS  TO  THE  COMMISSION  IN
 WRITING.  THE  THIRD-PARTY  AUDITOR  SHALL  NOT  BE  AFFILIATED WITH THE
 COMMISSION OR WITH ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.  IN  THE
 EVENT  OF  APPROVAL  BY  THE  COMMISSION OF ANY SUCH CHANGE BY A PRIVATE
 WATER UTILITY COMPANY IN RATE OR CHARGE, OR IN ANY FORM OF  CONTRACT  OR
 AGREEMENT  OR  ANY  RULE  OR  REGULATION RELATING TO ANY RATE, CHARGE OR
 SERVICE, OR IN ANY GENERAL PRIVILEGE OR FACILITY, THE INDEPENDENT  AUDI-
 TOR  SHALL  CONDUCT  A SECOND AUDIT OF THE PRIVATE WATER UTILITY COMPANY
 ONE YEAR AFTER THE CHANGE TAKES EFFECT. THE COMMISSION SHALL PUBLISH THE
 RESULTS OF ALL SUCH AUDITS ON ITS WEBSITE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13441-03-8

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