Requires the public service commission to post a written summary of the actions taken by the commission or department upon approval of a major change in rates to promote ratepayer affordability and minimizing residential energy burden.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10214
IN SENATE
May 6, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. BOTTCHER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni-
cations
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requirements for
the approval of any major rate change
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 12 of section 66 of the public service law is
2 amended by adding a new paragraph (n) to read as follows:
3 (n) (i) The commission shall, in their examination of any filing by a
4 utility that would result in a major change in rates or charges, in
5 addition to any other requirements of this chapter, consider the rate-
6 payer affordability of the filed schedule of rates or charges, with a
7 focus on cumulative rate impacts, the interests of low- and middle-in-
8 come utility customers, and minimizing residential energy burden.
9 (ii) The commission, upon the approval of any major change in rates or
10 charges, shall include in any approving order and make public on its
11 website, a written summary of the specific actions taken by the commis-
12 sion or department during the rate case or hearing to promote ratepayer
13 affordability, as identified in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph. Such
14 summary shall include a detailed description of the specific actions and
15 strategies taken by the commission or department during the rate case or
16 hearing to address each of the required items, an evaluation of the
17 effectiveness or success of such actions, and any information demon-
18 strating such effectiveness or success. If the approving order for any
19 major change in rates or charges includes a multi-year rate plan, the
20 information required pursuant to this paragraph shall be provided for
21 each rate year individually and as an overview for the rate plan as a
22 whole.
23 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
24 have become a law and shall not affect any proceedings relating to a
25 major change in rates or charges initiated on or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15646-01-6
