NY State Senate Bill 2021-S4151

Senate Bill S4151

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Requires combination gas and electric corporations, the New York Power Authority, and the Long Island Power Authority to provide an annual transparency statement to customers

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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to energy and telecommunications
Feb 02, 2021	referred to energy and telecommunications

2021-S4151 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §44, Pub Serv L; amd §1005, ren §§1020-jj - 1020-ll to be §§1020-ww - 1020-zz, add §1020-jj, Pub Auth L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S6335
2019-2020: S4058, S7549

2021-S4151 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires combination gas and electric corporations, the New York Power Authority, and the Long Island Power Authority to provide an annual transparency statement to customers detailing certain charges on a gross basis which are included in each customer's delivery service portion of their utility bill.

2021-S4151 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S4151

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law and the public authorities law,
in relation to requiring combination gas and electric corporations, the
New York Power Authority and the Long Island Power Authority to provide
an annual transparency statement to customers

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would require every combination gas and electric corporation,
the New York Power Authority, and the Long Island Power Authority to
provide each customer with an annual transparency statement, which shall
detail charges on a gross basis .included in each customer's delivery
service portion of their utility bill including various taxes as well as
charges and costs imposed by the public service commission that are
embedded in the customer bill.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of the bill provides that commencing on January 1, 2022,
every combination gas and electric corporation, the New York Power
Authority, and the Long Island Power Authority on an annual basis shall
provide each customer with an annual transparency statement which shall
detail charges included in each customer's delivery service portion of
their utility bill, including property taxes, sales and compensating use
taxes, costs and expenses of the Department of Public Service, gross
receipts taxes, franchise and income taxes, MTA authority payroll taxes
and fees, charges and costs imposed by the Public Service Commission
which are embedded in the customer bill.

Section two of the bill sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Electric bills are increasingly complex with numerous components. The
electric industry in New York State is in transition as the Public
Service Commission (PSC) implements Reforming the Energy Vision. In
addition, the Clean Energy Standard has been adopted by the PSC.  These
programs will result in mandates on the utilities, which will translate
into additional costs for electric customers. The charges on the elec-
tric utility bill are simplistically listed for delivery services and
supply services. There are multiple constituent costs included in supply
services, which are continuing to evolve under the new regulatory
regime.  the requirement for utilities, the New Yolk Power Authority,
and the Long Island Power Authority to provide an annual transparency
statement will assist customers in eliminating confusion about their
bills. It will also eliminate the perception by many that the complexity
is designed to conceal the cost structure. An annual transparency state-
ment provides the consumer with an opportunity to examine and understand
what costs are on their bill. The delineation of charges such as legacy
transition, municipal underground, clean energy deliver, systems bene-
fit, zero emissions credit, and state and local taxes will provide the
consumer with a detailed view of what is included in the charge and the
percentage impact on their:electric bill. This information will encour-
age customers to be more cognizant of the charges included on their bill
as a result of PSC actions.  Many consumers are not aware of these
costs, which are included in the delivery services portion of their bill
or embedded elsewhere in the bill. These various charges constitute
significant cost drivers in their utility bill. This legislation is
intended to increase awareness, which could result in increased public
participation and interest in the PSC proceedings by members of the
general public.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

A.8288-8, 2018, veto memo 337. Same as S.6335-c, veto memo 337.

A.8288, 2017, referred to corporations, authorities and commissions Same
as S.6335-c, 2017, committed to rules.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2021-S4151 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4151
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 2, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- 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 and the public authorities law,
   in relation to requiring combination gas  and  electric  corporations,
   the  New  York  Power Authority and the Long Island Power Authority to
   provide an annual transparency statement to customers
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 44 of the public service law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
   6.  COMMENCING  ON  JANUARY  FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE, EVERY
 COMBINATION GAS AND ELECTRIC  CORPORATION  ON  AN  ANNUAL  BASIS,  SHALL
 PROVIDE  EACH CUSTOMER WITH AN ANNUAL TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT WHICH SHALL
 DETAIL THE FOLLOWING CHARGES ON A GROSS BASIS WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN EACH
 CUSTOMER'S DELIVERY SERVICE PORTION OF THEIR UTILITY BILL, INCLUDING BUT
 NOT LIMITED TO: (I) PROPERTY TAXES;  (II)  SALES  AND  COMPENSATING  USE
 TAXES;  (III) COSTS AND EXPENSES OF THE COMMISSION AND DEPARTMENT PURSU-
 ANT TO SECTION EIGHTEEN-A OF THIS CHAPTER; (IV)  GROSS  RECEIPTS  TAXES;
 (V) FRANCHISE AND INCOME TAXES; (VI) METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHOR-
 ITY  PAYROLL  TAXES;  AND  (VII)  FEES, CHARGES AND COSTS IMPOSED BY THE
 PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION WHICH ARE EMBEDDED IN THE CUSTOMER BILL.  SUCH
 FEES,  CHARGES  AND COSTS SHALL INCLUDE COSTS FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
 REFORMING ENERGY VISION, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES
 AND ZERO EMISSION CREDITS. SUCH TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT SHALL  PROVIDE  A
 PERCENTAGE  OF THE FOREGOING CHARGES AS APPLIED TO THE AVERAGE BILL OF A
 CUSTOMER OF SUCH UTILITY.
   § 2. Section 1005 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 28 to read as follows:
   28. COMMENCING  ON  JANUARY  FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-THREE,  THE
 AUTHORITY, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, SHALL PROVIDE EACH CUSTOMER WITH AN ANNU-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD01925-02-1

 S. 4151                             2
 
 AL  TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT WHICH SHALL DETAIL THE FOLLOWING CHARGES ON A
 GROSS BASIS WHICH ARE  INCLUDED  IN  EACH  CUSTOMER'S  DELIVERY  SERVICE
 PORTION OF THEIR UTILITY BILL, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: (I) PROPER-
 TY  TAXES;  (II)  SALES  AND  COMPENSATING  USE  TAXES;  (III) COSTS AND
 EXPENSES OF THE AUTHORITY AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION PURSUANT  TO
 SECTION EIGHTEEN-A OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE LAW; (IV) GROSS RECEIPTS TAXES;
 (V) FRANCHISE AND INCOME TAXES; (VI) METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHOR-
 ITY  PAYROLL  TAXES;  AND  (VII)  FEES, CHARGES AND COSTS IMPOSED BY THE
 AUTHORITY WHICH ARE EMBEDDED IN THE CUSTOMER BILL.  SUCH  FEES,  CHARGES
 AND COSTS SHALL INCLUDE COSTS FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REFORMING ENER-
 GY  VISION,  ENERGY  EFFICIENCY,  DISTRIBUTED  ENERGY RESOURCES AND ZERO
 EMISSION CREDITS. SUCH TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT SHALL PROVIDE A PERCENTAGE
 OF THE FOREGOING CHARGES AS APPLIED TO THE AVERAGE BILL OF A CUSTOMER OF
 SUCH UTILITY.
   § 3. Sections 1020-jj, 1020-kk, 1020-ll  and  1020-ll  of  the  public
 authorities  law, sections 1020-jj, 1020-kk and 1020-ll as renumbered by
 chapter 520 of the laws of 2018, and section 1020-ll  as  renumbered  by
 chapter  415 of the laws of 2017, are renumbered sections 1020-ww, 1020-
 xx, 1020-yy, and 1020-zz and a new section 1020-jj is added to  read  as
 follows:
   §  1020-JJ.  CUSTOMER BILLS. COMMENCING ON JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
 TWENTY-THREE, THE AUTHORITY, ON AN  ANNUAL  BASIS,  SHALL  PROVIDE  EACH
 CUSTOMER  WITH  AN  ANNUAL TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT WHICH SHALL DETAIL THE
 FOLLOWING CHARGES ON A GROSS BASIS WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN EACH CUSTOMER'S
 DELIVERY SERVICE PORTION OF THEIR UTILITY BILL, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMIT-
 ED TO: (I) PROPERTY TAXES; (II) SALES AND COMPENSATING USE TAXES;  (III)
 COSTS  AND  EXPENSES  OF THE AUTHORITY AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
 PURSUANT TO SECTION EIGHTEEN-A OF THE PUBLIC  SERVICE  LAW;  (IV)  GROSS
 RECEIPTS TAXES; (V) FRANCHISE AND INCOME TAXES; (VI) METROPOLITAN TRANS-
 PORTATION  AUTHORITY  PAYROLL  TAXES;  AND (VII) FEES, CHARGES AND COSTS
 IMPOSED BY THE AUTHORITY WHICH ARE EMBEDDED IN THE CUSTOMER  BILL.  SUCH
 FEES,  CHARGES  AND COSTS SHALL INCLUDE COSTS FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
 REFORMING ENERGY VISION, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES
 AND ZERO EMISSION CREDITS. SUCH TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT SHALL  PROVIDE  A
 PERCENTAGE  OF THE FOREGOING CHARGES AS APPLIED TO THE AVERAGE BILL OF A
 CUSTOMER OF SUCH UTILITY.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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