New York Senate Bill S06491

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/14/25
• Refer: 3/14/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Requires electric corporations and gas corporations to provide, as part of every billing statement, a tariff cost estimate in a clear, conspicuous and easily understandable manner; requires such corporations to include an itemized disclosure of the primary cost components comprising the delivery portion of the bill.

Summary

This bill would amend the Public Service Law to prohibit electric corporations, gas corporations, and utilities from passing through to New York ratepayers any increased costs caused by tariffs. The prohibition applies both to tariffs imposed by the United States on imports from foreign countries and to tariffs imposed by foreign governments on exports to the United States, when those tariffs raise the utility’s costs for electricity, natural gas, or related goods and services. In practical terms, the bill would bar utilities from increasing customer charges to recover tariff-related cost increases. It is framed as a consumer-protection measure intended to shield households and other ratepayers from price spikes tied to international trade policy. The act would take effect immediately upon enactment.

Impact

The bill would add a new subdivision to section 66 of the Public Service Law, creating an explicit restriction on how electric and gas utilities may set rates and recover costs. It would affect regulated utilities and their customers by preventing tariff-driven cost increases from being reflected in bills for electricity, natural gas, and associated services. The measure would likely limit utility cost recovery mechanisms to the extent those costs are attributable to tariffs, and it would give state law a clearer rule against passing those charges through to consumers.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or recorded vote is available in the provided materials, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition. Based on the bill’s text, the measure appears consumer-oriented and protective of ratepayers, with an emphasis on limiting utility bill increases caused by external trade policy. The available context does not show any amendments, votes, or public statements indicating broader legislative sentiment.

Contention

The main point of contention would likely be whether utilities should be allowed to recover tariff-related costs as part of their normal rate-setting process. Supporters would view the bill as preventing consumers from bearing costs created by federal or foreign tariff policy, while opponents may argue that barring recovery could shift financial risk onto utilities and potentially affect service costs or investment. Another possible issue is the scope of the prohibition, including whether it applies only to direct tariff costs or also to broader supply-chain and procurement expenses tied to tariffs.