State Senate Advances Legislation to Stand Up to Utility Corporations, Lower Rates

Prohibiting Ratepayer Funded Expense Recovery for Political Activities: This bill, S.1012A, sponsored by Senator Brouk, would prevent public utilities from recovering funds from ratepayers to support certain activities such as expenses incurred from lobbying public officials, donations to public charities, travel, entertainment and educational expenditures as well as public relations and advertising campaigns.

Enacting the Rate Hike Notice Act: This bill, S.5553C, sponsored by Senator Comrie, would enact the Rate Hike Notice Act, which directs the PSC to mandate electric and gas utilities to provide notice of a proposed rate hike to a customer via text, email, and to that customer's monthly utility bill.

Utility Hikes Economic Impact: This bill, S.1847, sponsored by Senator Comrie, would require the PSC to consider the economic impact of utility rates and charges when evaluating utilities' proposed rate changes.

Regulating Appointments to the PSC: This bill, S.7328A, sponsored by Senator Hinchey, would expand the number of PSC commissioners to eight; codify the PSC's mission to ensure affordable, reliable, and safe access to utility services for New Yorkers; and prohibit any employee of a utility regulated by the PSC from serving as a commissioner for two years after their employment.

Evaluating Non-Economic Damages for Utilities: This bill, S.7165A, sponsored by Senator Hinchey, would authorize the PSC to consider non-economic damages suffered by customers when determining penalties for utilities, including penalties negotiated in settlements. These non-economic damages may include, for example, any pain and suffering or mental anguish endured by a utility customer during an unplanned power outage.

Establishing a Fair Annual Ratemaking Process: This bill, S.1896, sponsored by Senator Mayer, would direct the PSC to reform the PSC's evaluation of utilities' return on equity (ROE) to ensure the ROE that electric, gas, steam, and water utilities receive is reasonable and transparent for ratepayers.

Extending the Suspension Period for Utility Rate Cases: This bill, S.5593, sponsored by Senator Mayer, would (1) permit the PSC to extend the suspension period for gas or electric utility rate cases up to fourteen months in order to mitigate financial strain on ratepayers and allow more time for the PSC and intervenors to scrutinize utility rate filings for potential savings to ratepayers, and (2) limit utilities' "make whole" ability to retroactively collect rate increase amounts.

Requiring Utilities to Return Excess Revenue to Ratepayers: This bill, S.7693, sponsored by Senator Mayer, would direct the PSC to require gas, electric, or combination gas and electric utilities to return to ratepayers all revenues in excess of their authorized rate of return on equity.

Mandating Minimum Standards for Utility Payment Plans: This bill, S.1327, sponsored by Senator Parker, would direct the PSC to set minimum standards for payment plans established by utility companies for eligible residential customers already enrolled in other assistance programs.

Adjusting Electric Residential Fixed Charges: This bill, S.1329 , sponsored by Senator Parker, would direct the Department of Public Service to limit monthly fixed service charges: utility corporations would only be permitted to bill residential customers fixed charges for fixed operation and maintenance costs directly related to metering, billing, service connections, and the provision of customer service.