Assembly Bill A9444A

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to call centers for gas and electric corporations

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status Via S8626 - Passed Assembly


  • 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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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2023-A9444 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S8626
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§65 & 25, Pub Serv L

2023-A9444 - Summary

Relates to call centers for gas and electric corporations; sets penalties for violations.

2023-A9444 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9444
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 14, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. CRUZ -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Energy
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to call centers  for
   gas and electric corporations
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 13 of section  65  of
 the  public  service  law,  paragraph (a) as added by chapter 330 of the
 laws of 2010 and paragraph (b) as amended by chapter 520 of the laws  of
 2014, are amended to read as follows:
   (a)  Every  gas corporation or electric corporation furnishing utility
 services shall provide the following  call  center  customer  assistance
 receiving inquiries AND ASSOCIATED OFFICE TASKS BY PHONE, IN WRITING, OR
 ANY  ELECTRONIC  COMMUNICATION,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO EMAILS,
 TEXTS, AND CHATS on: customer financial responsibility; receiving APPLI-
 CATION requests to initiate or terminate service; receiving requests for
 emergency services; SHARED METERING;  determining  deposit  required  or
 billing  rate;  receiving  meter  and service orders and access to meter
 requests; explaining company rates, regulations,  policies,  procedures,
 and  common  practices;  initiating  trouble  order  forms and high bill
 investigations; INBOUND AND/OR OUTBOUND handling OF  payment  and  other
 credit arrangements such as obtaining deposits, financial statements and
 payment  plans;  COLLECTION ASSISTANCE INQUIRIES and referring customers
 to social service agencies and other assistance programs.
   (b) (I) No gas or electric corporation shall close a  call  center  or
 other  facility providing the customer assistance set forth in paragraph
 (a) of this subdivision or [relocate] SEND such customer assistance  [to
 another  area  of]  OUTSIDE  SUCH GAS OR ELECTRIC CORPORATION'S New York
 state SERVICE TERRITORY or outside of  New  York  state  without  notice
 [and], A hearing AND APPROVAL before the commission. Upon receipt of the
 notice required pursuant to this paragraph, the commission shall provide
 notice of the proceeding to interested parties and the public; and shall
 promptly fix a date for the commencement of a public hearing thereon not
 less than sixty days after such receipt. The testimony presented at such
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

co-Sponsors

2023-A9444A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S8626
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§65 & 25, Pub Serv L

2023-A9444A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to call centers for gas and electric corporations; sets penalties for violations.

2023-A9444A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  9444--A
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 14, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. CRUZ, JEAN-PIERRE, SEAWRIGHT, STERN -- read once
   and referred to the Committee on Energy -- committee discharged,  bill
   amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
   tee
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to call centers  for
   gas and electric corporations

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 13 of section  65  of
 the  public  service  law,  paragraph (a) as added by chapter 330 of the
 laws of 2010 and paragraph (b) as amended by chapter 520 of the laws  of
 2014, are amended to read as follows:
   (a)  Every  gas corporation or electric corporation furnishing utility
 services shall provide the following  call  center  customer  assistance
 receiving inquiries AND ASSOCIATED OFFICE TASKS BY PHONE, IN WRITING, OR
 ANY  ELECTRONIC  COMMUNICATION,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO EMAILS,
 TEXTS, AND CHATS on: customer financial responsibility; receiving APPLI-
 CATION requests to initiate or terminate service; receiving requests for
 emergency services; SHARED METERING;  determining  deposit  required  or
 billing  rate;  receiving  meter  and service orders and access to meter
 requests; explaining company rates, regulations,  policies,  procedures,
 and  common  practices;  initiating  trouble  order  forms and high bill
 investigations; INBOUND AND/OR OUTBOUND handling OF  payment  and  other
 credit arrangements such as obtaining deposits, financial statements and
 payment  plans;  COLLECTION ASSISTANCE INQUIRIES and referring customers
 to social service agencies and other assistance programs.  FOR  PURPOSES
 OF THIS SECTION, EACH INDIVIDUAL PHONE CALL, WRITING, EMAIL, TEXT, CHAT,
 OR  ANY  OTHER  COMMUNICATION  SHALL COUNT AS AN INDEPENDENT INSTANCE OF
 CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, AND THEREFORE EACH SHALL TRIGGER A GAS OR  ELECTRIC
 CORPORATION'S DUTIES UNDER PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (b)  (I)  No  gas or electric corporation shall close a call center or
 other facility providing the customer assistance set forth in  paragraph
 (a)  of this subdivision or [relocate] SEND such customer assistance [to
 another area of] OUTSIDE SUCH GAS OR  ELECTRIC  CORPORATION'S  New  York
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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