Add ?28, Pub Serv L; add ?399-ww, Gen Bus L; amd ?1020-cc, Pub Auth L
Requires utility service providers to disclose planned rate increases to consumers within thirty days before a planned price increase takes effect; requires utility providers to provide contact information and a mechanism to cancel service completely.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10376--A
IN ASSEMBLY
March 3, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Energy -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public service law, the general business law and the
public authorities law, in relation to requiring utility service
providers to disclose planned rate increases to consumers within a
certain amount of time
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section
2 28 to read as follows:
3 § 28. Notice of planned rate increase for services. 1. Any gas corpo-
4 ration, electric corporation, water corporation or municipality, steam
5 corporation or telephone corporation shall be required to disclose to a
6 consumer any planned rate increase for services being rendered to such
7 consumer, within thirty days before such planned rate increase takes
8 effect.
9 2. (a) Any notification of a planned rate increase pursuant to this
10 section shall be communicated to the consumer in a clear and conspicuous
11 method which is sufficient to alert such consumer that such planned rate
12 increase is occurring.
13 (b) A consumer shall be notified in a separate communication outside
14 of any billing statement via phone, electronic mail, letter, text
15 message or any combination thereof that includes a statement of the
16 following:
17 (i) the amount of the rate increase;
18 (ii) the effective date of the increase; and
19 (iii) where customers can get additional information pertaining to the
20 rate increase.
21 (c) Inclusion of such notification as part of any billing statement
22 shall not constitute compliance with this section.
23 3. Any gas corporation, electric corporation, water corporation or
24 municipality, steam corporation or telephone corporation shall provide
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09684-05-6
A. 10376--A 2
1 with any notification of a planned rate increase information on how a
2 consumer can contact the service provider.
3 § 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 399-
4 ww to read as follows:
5 § 399-ww. Notice of planned rate increases for cable and internet
6 services. 1. Any cable television company, internet service provider as
7 defined by section three hundred ninety-four-cc of this article, or
8 voice over internet protocol or VoIP provider as defined by section
9 three hundred forty-nine-b-1 of this chapter shall be required to
10 disclose to a consumer any planned rate increase for services being
11 rendered to such consumer, within thirty but no less than seven days
12 before such planned rate increase takes effect.
13 2. (a) Any notification of a planned rate increase pursuant to this
14 section shall be communicated to the consumer in a clear and conspicuous
15 method which is sufficient to alert such consumer that such planned rate
16 increase is occurring.
17 (b) A consumer shall be notified in a separate communication outside
18 of any billing statement via phone, electronic mail, letter, text
19 message or any combination thereof that includes a statement of the
20 following:
21 (i) the amount of the rate increase;
22 (ii) the effective date of the increase; and
23 (iii) where customers can get additional information pertaining to the
24 rate increase.
25 (c) Inclusion of such notification as part of any billing statement
26 shall not constitute compliance with this section.
27 3. Any cable television company, internet service provider, or VoIP
28 provider shall provide with any notification of a planned rate increase
29 information on how a consumer can contact the service provider and shall
30 also include a mechanism to allow for a consumer to cancel their service
31 altogether.
32 § 3. Section 1020-cc of the public authorities law is amended by
33 adding a new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
34 3. Service providers shall be subject to the provisions of section
35 twenty-eight of the public service law.
36 § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
37 it shall have become a law.
