Directs the department of public service to prepare a written report on the affordability of water services for commercial and residential customers within 180 days of effectiveness; requires an updated report to be submitted one year after the initial report.
Summary
Bill A02429 mandates the New York Department of Public Service to prepare a report assessing the affordability of water services for both commercial and residential customers. The initial report is to be submitted within 180 days of the bill's enactment, with a subsequent update required one year later. The report must include detailed statistics on disconnections, customer arrears, and the effectiveness of existing assistance programs, all broken down by various metrics such as customer class and county.
Impact
The bill will enhance oversight of water service affordability in New York by requiring water-work corporations to report detailed data on customer disconnections, arrears, and assistance program participation. This could lead to increased accountability for water service providers and potentially prompt legislative or regulatory changes to improve affordability and access to water services for low-income customers.
Sentiment
The sentiment surrounding Bill A02429 appears to be generally supportive, as it aims to address affordability issues in essential services. However, there may be concerns regarding the administrative burden on water-work corporations and the potential impact on utility rates, which could lead to some opposition from industry stakeholders.
Contention
Notable points of contention may arise from water-work corporations regarding the feasibility of collecting and reporting the required data without incurring additional costs that could be passed on to consumers. Additionally, there may be differing opinions on the adequacy of existing assistance programs and whether the proposed measures will effectively address the needs of vulnerable populations.
Directs the department of public service to prepare written reports on the effect the COVID-19 state of emergency has on certain utilities of electric, gas, water, wastewater, and telephone service to commercial and residential customers in the state and on the affordability of services.
relative to removing an obsolete annual reporting requirement by municipal overseers of public welfare to the department of health and human services and repealing the department of health and human services reporting requirement on 10-year demographic cost projections.
Protects residential customers from utility service shutoffs due to non-payment during summer and winter periods of extreme heat or cold; allows such utility services to be discontinued for non-payment outside such periods; requires an annual report to be submitted to the governor and legislature and posted publicly online.
Authorizes and directs the department of public service to conduct a study on the deployment of energy interconnection processes into the electrical grid to meet the state's renewable energy goals; directs the department of public service to submit a report on its findings one year after the effective date.
Authorizes and directs the department of public service to conduct a study on the deployment of energy interconnection processes into the electrical grid to meet the state's renewable energy goals; directs the department of public service to submit a report on its findings one year after the effective date.
An Act to Update Juvenile Justice System Reporting Requirements and to Direct the Department of Corrections and the Department of Health and Human Services to Study Modifying the Long Creek Youth Development Center
Requires the public service commission to post a written summary of the actions taken by the commission or department upon approval of a major change in rates to promote ratepayer affordability and minimizing residential energy burden.
Requires the public service commission to post a written summary of the actions taken by the commission or department upon approval of a major change in rates to promote ratepayer affordability and minimizing residential energy burden.