New York Assembly Bill A10648

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/26
• Refer: 3/19/26

Caption

Enacts the utility shutoff protection act

Summary

This bill would enact the “utility shutoff protection act” and create statewide seasonal protections against residential utility disconnections for nonpayment. It defines a summer protection season from May 1 through August 31 and a winter protection season from December 1 through February 28, and during those periods no residential utility service could be terminated for nonpayment by a utility corporation or municipality. If a household had already been disconnected for nonpayment, the bill would require service restoration during the protection seasons without a restoration fee, and it would bar the assessment of late fees or penalties that would otherwise accrue during those periods. The bill also directs the Public Service Commission to collect and publish annual data on residential shutoffs, including information broken down by income, age, and geography, reconnection times, deferred payment plan costs, and the health, safety, and financial effects of shutoffs. The commission would be required to adopt rules to implement the protections, prevent utilities from passing compliance costs on to residential customers, and establish procedures for shutoffs after the protection seasons end. The bill expressly preserves customers’ obligation to pay utility bills and arrears, and it does not apply to non-residential service. It also extends the new protections to certain multiple dwellings and two-family dwellings covered by existing Public Service Law provisions.

Impact

The bill would amend the Public Service Law by adding new definitions and a new statewide residential shutoff prohibition, while also modifying sections governing multiple dwellings and two-family dwellings so those properties are covered where otherwise subject to existing protections. It would significantly expand current New York utility disconnection rules by replacing the existing patchwork of company-specific seasonal policies with uniform summer and winter moratoriums, and by requiring automatic restoration of service during those periods. The measure would also impose new reporting and regulatory duties on the Public Service Commission and restrict utilities and municipalities from shifting compliance costs to residential ratepayers.

Sentiment

The bill’s findings and structure reflect a strongly protective stance toward residential customers, particularly low-income households and those vulnerable during extreme heat and cold. Although there is no recorded committee transcript or vote history in the provided materials, the bill text itself shows clear support for broader consumer protections, public reporting, and statewide consistency. The overall tone is remedial and public-safety oriented, emphasizing climate-related weather extremes and the harms of utility shutoffs.

Contention

The main policy tension is between consumer protection and utility operational or financial concerns. The bill would prohibit shutoffs for long seasonal periods, require free reconnection, and bar utilities from increasing residential service costs because of compliance, which could draw concern from utilities and municipalities about revenue recovery, administrative burden, and enforcement. Another possible point of contention is the breadth of the moratorium, since it would apply statewide and override existing company-specific policies that currently vary by provider and region. Supporters are likely to emphasize health, safety, and equity, while opponents may focus on unpaid arrears, cost-shifting, and implementation challenges.