Enacts the utility materials disclosure act to require investor-owned energy utilities publish on its customer-facing website both its promotional and educational materials and file such materials with the public service commission.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9299
SPONSOR: Shrestha TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring inve-
stor-owned energy utilities publish on its customer-facing website both
its promotional and educational materials
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill requires investor-owned energy utilities to publish their
materials online and to file them with the PSC. Violations will be
penalized.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Short title: This act shall be known and may be cited as the
"Utility Materials Disclosure Act."
Section 2: Amends the public service law to require investor-owned ener-
gy utilities to publish on its customer-facing website, and file with
the commission, any promotional and educational materials that are made
available digitally or in print. Materials published on utility websites
will remain in place for three years. Violations will be assessed pursu-
ant to section twenty-five and twenty-five-a of the public service law.
Section 3: Sets the effective date and provides instructions for imple-
mentation
JUSTIFICATION:
As investor-owned energy utilities are increasingly tasked with meeting
their share of the state's Climate Leadership and Community Protection
Act (CLCPA) goals, there is publiointerest in the promotional and educa-
tional materials that such utilities publish, especially as they relate
to clean energy incentives that have already been funded.
Utilities often discuss their promotional and educational work in
service of the CLCPA goals during rate cases, but it is difficult for
the public to evaluate such efforts without being able to see those
materials.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill is effective immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9299
IN ASSEMBLY
February 23, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SHRESTHA -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring inve-
stor-owned energy utilities publish on its customer-facing website
both its promotional and educational materials
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "utility materials disclosure act".
3 § 2. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 28 to
4 read as follows:
5 § 28. Materials to be published. 1. For the purposes of this section,
6 "investor-owned energy utility" shall mean any gas corporation, electric
7 corporation, or combination gas and electric corporation.
8 2. The department shall require every investor-owned energy utility
9 publish on its customer-facing website, and file with the commission,
10 any promotional and educational materials such investor-owned energy
11 utility makes available to customers digitally or in print. A list of
12 such files shall be published with the original title and publication
13 date on a page that is easily accessible from the website menu.
14 3. Such materials referenced in subdivision two of this section shall
15 remain posted on an investor-owned energy utility's customer-facing
16 website three years from the date such materials are published.
17 4. If an investor-owned energy utility is found to be in violation of
18 this section, penalties or sanctions shall be assessed pursuant to
19 section twenty-five or twenty-five-a of this article, as applicable.
20 § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
21 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
22 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
23 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
24 on or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14392-03-4
