Enacts the "ratepayer disclosure and transparency act" which requires an annual report that includes the estimated or actual ratepayer costs and benefits of any mandated state energy program to the governor and legislature including any New York climate leadership and community protection act compliance costs.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7263A
SPONSOR: Palmesano (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to enacting the
"ratepayer disclosure and transparency act"
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::
To add section 27 to public service in relation to requiring annual
reporting on state mandated energy programs.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section 1 of the bill establishes the title of this legislation as the
Ratepayer Disclosure and Transparency Act.
Section 2 of the bill adds a new section 28 of the public service law
which would require the public service commission and the New York state
energy research and development authority to submit annual reports to
the governor and legislative leaders outlining the benefits of all
state-mandated energy programs. This section also requires such a report
to include Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act-related
programs, and further requires itemized lists of CLCPA compliance costs
to be displayed prominently on ratepayers' utility bills. All of this
information is to be available electronically. This section, lastly,
authorizes and directs the public service commission to establish rules
and regulations to implement the requirements of the legislation.
Section 3 provides for an effective date.
JUSTIFICATION::
Estimates show that, each year, there is upwards of $1.2 billion in pure
taxing and spending that the State justifies going toward "Green"
purposes. This does not include loans the State authors for the same
purposes, which would only serve to significantly increase this number.
This includes initiatives that are paid for directly from taxpayers'
pockets, and not proceeds on investments.
For example, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a multi-
state carbon dioxide emission-reduction program that has been opera-
tional in New York State since 2008. The program requires the purchase
of pollution allowances at quarterly auctions, with a tax on each allow-
ance. The revenue from this initiative funds major portions of the
State's mandated programs. In addition, State regulations and energy
efficiency mandates are continuing to place additional fiscal pressure
on ratepayers. Programs that contribute to this pressure include: Net
Metering, the Systems Benefits Charge, the Renewable Portfolio Standard,
Energy Standards for Public Buildings and Appliance/Equipment Efficiency
Standards.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
has stated its goal of helping New York meet its energy goals through
reduced energy consumption, supporting the use of renewable energy and
protecting the environment. High energy taxes back all of the energy
efficiency incentives and financing options available through NYSERDA
for individuals and/or families with low to moderate incomes.
While these extremely expensive programs may have laudable goals, this
legislation seeks to quantify their effect on New York State ratepayers,
by clearly identifying and publishing all of the energy related
mandates, and their true cost-benefit to the economy. This legislation
sends a message to those we represent that New York State customers
should not be overpaying for services, being treated unfairly, being
taken advantage of, or that their hard-earned incomes are not being
frivolously expended by State government.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
A.5518 2021-2022, held in Energy
A.4163 2019-2020, held in Energy
A.4408 2017-2018, held in Energy
A.6892 2015-2016, held in Energy
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS::
Minimal.
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7263--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 16, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PALMESANO, BRABENEC, DeSTEFANO, FRIEND, HAWLEY,
MANKTELOW, MILLER, MORINELLO, NORRIS, REILLY, TAGUE -- Multi-Sponsored
by -- M. of A. BARCLAY, BYRNES, DiPIETRO, J. M. GIGLIO, RA, WALSH --
read once and referred to the Committee on Energy -- recommitted to
the Committee on Energy in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to enacting the
"ratepayer disclosure and transparency act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "ratepayer
2 disclosure and transparency act".
3 § 2. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 28 to
4 read as follows:
5 § 28. Annual disclosure and transparency report. 1. The commission in
6 consultation with the New York state energy research and development
7 authority shall annually report the estimated or actual ratepayer costs
8 and benefits of any mandated state energy program, including programs
9 associated with the New York climate leadership and community protection
10 act, to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker
11 of the assembly, the senate minority leader and the assembly minority
12 leader by December thirty-first of each year. In addition, the commis-
13 sion shall require itemized lists of New York climate leadership and
14 community protection act compliance costs to be prominently displayed on
15 the utility billing documents of every resident of the state.
16 2. All information reported by the public service commission as
17 required under subdivision one of this section shall be made available
18 as a public record and posted to the public service commission website
19 simultaneously with submittal to the governor, the temporary president
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08486-03-4
A. 7263--A 2
1 of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the senate minority leader
2 and the assembly minority leader.
3 3. The public service commission is hereby authorized and directed to
4 promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions
5 of this section.
6 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
