Assembly Bill A3359

Signed By Governor
2021-2022 Legislative Session

Prohibits utility companies from harassing, oppressing or abusing any residential customer in connection with the handling of a complaint or unpaid balance

download bill text pdf

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Archive: Last Bill Status - Signed by Governor

  • 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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2021-A3359 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S4823
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §53-a, Pub Serv L

2021-A3359 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits utility companies from harassing, oppressing or abusing any residential customer in connection with the handling of a residential customer complaint, the offering and/or negotiating of a deferred payment agreement, or the collection of an unpaid balance or any other obligation owed by such customer.

2021-A3359 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3359
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 26, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to prohibiting util-
   ity  companies  from  harassing, oppressing or abusing any residential
   customer in connection with the handling  of  a  complaint  or  unpaid
   balance

   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
 53-a to read as follows:
   §  53-A.  PROHIBITION  OF  UTILITIES  ENGAGING  IN DETRIMENTAL CONDUCT
 TOWARDS A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER. 1.  A  UTILITY  CORPORATION  OR  MUNICI-
 PALITY, OR ENERGY SERVICES COMPANIES SUBJECT TO THE DEPARTMENT'S UNIFORM
 BUSINESS  PRACTICES  AND  SECTION  THREE  HUNDRED  FORTY-NINE  AND THREE
 HUNDRED FORTY-NINE-D OF THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW, ALSO KNOWN  AS  ESCOS,
 SHALL  NOT  ENGAGE IN ANY CONDUCT THE NATURAL CONSEQUENCE OF WHICH IS TO
 HARASS, OPPRESS, OR ABUSE ANY RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER  IN  CONNECTION  WITH
 THE  HANDLING  OF  A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER COMPLAINT, THE OFFERING AND/OR
 NEGOTIATING OF A DEFERRED PAYMENT AGREEMENT, OR  THE  COLLECTION  OF  AN
 UNPAID BALANCE OR ANY OTHER OBLIGATION OWED BY SUCH CUSTOMER.
   2.  ALL UTILITIES OR MUNICIPAL UTILITIES OR ESCOS IN VIOLATION OF THIS
 SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO FINES,  PENALTIES  AND  ENFORCEMENT  BY  THE
 DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO SECTIONS TWENTY-FOUR, TWENTY-FIVE, TWENTY-FIVE-A,
 AND  TWENTY-SIX  OF  THIS CHAPTER, AND ALL SUCH OTHER LEGAL OR EQUITABLE
 REMEDIES AS MAY BE NECESSARY OR CONVENIENT FOR PROTECTION  OF  CONSUMERS
 AGAINST  THE  PROHIBITED  BEHAVIORS DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS
 SECTION.
   3. THE COMMISSION SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY  TO
 IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such effective date.

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