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A10038 Summary:

BILL NOA10038
 
SAME ASNo same as
 
SPONSORRules (Paulin)
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Add Art 8 Title 9-B SS1900 - 1907, 1020-ii, amd S1855, ren SS1020-ii - 1020-kk to be SS1020-jj - 1020-ll, Pub Auth L; amd SS18-a & 65, add S66-n, Pub Serv L; amd SS242 & 291-j, RP L
 
Creates a commercial on-bill repayment program to permit financing of clean energy projects by commercial enterprises.
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A10038 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          10038
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                      June 10, 2014
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Paulin) --
          read once and referred to the Committee on Energy
 
        AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, the public service law  and,
          the  real  property  law,  in relation to establishing the "Commercial
          on-bill repayment act of 2014"
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-

        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section  1.  Legislative  findings. The legislature finds and declares
     2  that promoting widespread dissemination of energy conservation and clean
     3  energy technologies represents a clear and cost-effective  strategy  for
     4  building  owners and occupants in New York state to curtail the emission
     5  of greenhouse gases and harmful air contaminants, reducing  the  state's
     6  contribution to climate change, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and
     7  creating green jobs to sustain and enhance our economy. However, lack of
     8  affordable and accessible financing for many owners of commercial build-
     9  ings has hindered progress in fully realizing the promise of these tech-
    10  nologies.  On-bill  repayment  facilitates the financing of clean energy
    11  projects through the utility bill, which can allow for  more  affordable

    12  financing terms than would be otherwise available due to the security of
    13  utility bill payments. On-bill repayment will incentivize private inves-
    14  tors  to invest in clean energy improvements in New York, will stimulate
    15  the state's economy by creating jobs for contractors and  other  persons
    16  who  complete new energy improvements, and will reinforce the leadership
    17  role of the state in the new energy economy,  thereby  attracting  clean
    18  energy  manufacturing  facilities and related jobs to the state. On-bill
    19  repayment expands access to clean energy  upgrades  without  relying  on
    20  public funding.
    21    Therefore,  it is the intent of the legislature to enact a "Commercial
    22  On-Bill Repayment" program  to  animate  the  market  for  clean  energy
    23  improvements and accelerate the flow of private capital into clean ener-
    24  gy  projects,  and thus achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas

    25  emissions and toxic emissions well above the level  of  reductions  that
    26  would be achieved through business as usual.
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15284-03-4

        A. 10038                            2
 
     1    §  2.  Article  8 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
     2  new title 9-B to read as follows:
     3                                   TITLE 9-B
     4                    COMMERCIAL ON-BILL REPAYMENT PROGRAM
     5  Section 1900. Short title.
     6          1901. Definitions.
     7          1902. Purpose.
     8          1903. Administration by the authority.

     9          1904. Commercial on-bill repayment program.
    10          1905. Advisory council.
    11          1906. Annual reporting.
    12          1907. Funds, administration and evaluation and coordination.
    13    § 1900. Short title. This title shall be known and may be cited as the
    14  "Commercial On-Bill Repayment Act of 2014".
    15    §  1901. Definitions. As used in this title, the following terms shall
    16  have the following meanings:
    17    1. "Applicant" means a person who owns, leases or manages an  eligible
    18  structure  or  a  portion  of  such  eligible  structure and who has the
    19  authority to contract  for  the  provision  of  qualified  clean  energy
    20  improvements  to  such  eligible  structure  or portion of such eligible

    21  structure.
    22    2. "Authority" shall have the same meaning as in  subdivision  two  of
    23  section eighteen hundred fifty-one of this article.
    24    3.  "Commercial  structure" means a building other than a non-residen-
    25  tial structure, multi-family structure, or residential structure.
    26    4. "Distribution utility" means a combination electric and gas  corpo-
    27  ration  having  annual revenues in excess of two hundred million dollars
    28  and the Long Island power authority.
    29    5. "Multi-family structure" means a  multi-family  structure  as  such
    30  term is defined in section 1891 of the public authorities law.
    31    6.  "Non-residential  structure"  means a non-residential structure as

    32  such term is defined in section  eighteen  hundred  ninety-one  of  this
    33  chapter.
    34    7. "Eligible project" means qualified clean energy improvements for an
    35  eligible structure.
    36    8.  "Eligible  structure"  means  (a)  a commercial structure or (b) a
    37  non-residential structure.
    38    9. "OBR agreement" means a standard written agreement  executed  by  a
    39  distribution  utility  customer  of  record  with respect to the subject
    40  property, the owner of the subject property and an OBR  partner  or  its
    41  agent governing the terms of an OBR obligation.
    42    10. "OBR master servicer" means an entity retained by the authority to
    43  implement  the  tasks set forth in section nineteen hundred four of this
    44  title.

    45    11. "OBR master servicer agreement" means an  agreement  developed  by
    46  the  authority  as  provided  in  section  nineteen hundred four of this
    47  title.
    48    12. "OBR obligation" means an obligation to repay a financing provided
    49  to a utility customer for the installation of an eligible project pursu-
    50  ant to an on-bill repayment program. An OBR obligation will exist  where
    51  a  financing  pursuant  to an OBR agreement has been approved by the OBR
    52  master servicer and has not been satisfied.
    53    13. "OBR partner" means a person or  entity  providing  financing  for
    54  qualified  clean  energy improvements pursuant to the commercial on-bill
    55  repayment program which enters into an OBR  master  servicer  agreement.

    56  OBR  partners  may  include,  but are not limited to, banks, savings and

        A. 10038                            3
 
     1  loan institutions, credit unions, project developers, or energy  service
     2  companies. Financing may be provided in the form of a loan, lease, power
     3  purchase  agreement, energy service agreement, or other financing struc-
     4  ture approved by the authority.
     5    14.  "On-bill repayment charge" means a charge, constituting repayment
     6  of all or a portion of any OBR obligation, that is included on a utility
     7  bill.
     8    15. "Program" means the commercial on-bill repayment  program  created
     9  by this title.
    10    16.  "Qualified clean energy improvements" means improvements, includ-

    11  ing clean energy resources such as energy efficiency, renewable  energy,
    12  combined heat and power, demand response, and any other low-carbon ener-
    13  gy  technology  reasonably  designated by the authority, that are perma-
    14  nently affixed to real property and meet  cost  effectiveness  standards
    15  established by the authority.
    16    17. "Residential structure" means a residential structure as such term
    17  is defined in section eighteen hundred ninety-one of this chapter.
    18    §  1902.  Purpose. There is hereby created a commercial on-bill repay-
    19  ment program. The purpose of the program is to:
    20    1. Promote energy efficiency, energy conservation and the installation
    21  of clean energy technologies;

    22    2. Reduce energy consumption and energy costs;
    23    3. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
    24    4. Create green job opportunities; and
    25    5. Promulgate a replicable, scalable approach to financing clean ener-
    26  gy projects for the purpose of animating the market  for  such  projects
    27  and accelerating the flow of capital into such projects.
    28    §  1903. Administration by the authority. Within three hundred days of
    29  the effective date of this title, the authority is hereby authorized and
    30  directed to establish and administer the  commercial  on-bill  repayment
    31  program.  The authority shall implement the program in consultation with
    32  the department of public service, the power authority of  the  state  of

    33  New  York,  the  Long Island power authority, the department of economic
    34  development and the department of environmental conservation.
    35    § 1904. Commercial on-bill repayment program. 1. (a) there  is  hereby
    36  created a commercial on-bill repayment program.
    37    (b)  In  administering  such  program, the authority is authorized and
    38  directed to:
    39    (i) enter into contracts with one  or  more  program  implementers  to
    40  perform such functions as the authority deems appropriate;
    41    (ii) retain the services of a master servicer;
    42    (iii) develop, in consultation with the distribution utilities and the
    43  department  of  public  service,  an  OBR master servicer agreement that

    44  includes, but is not limited to, provisions regarding the following:
    45    (1) protocols for communication between and among  the  OBR  partners,
    46  the distribution utilities and the OBR master servicer;
    47    (2) approval by the master servicer of OBR agreements, upon submission
    48  of  conforming  agreements by OBR partners along with certification by a
    49  licensed engineer that the work scope financed under the  OBR  agreement
    50  conforms  with  standards  set  by  the  authority and that the work was
    51  completed and certification by the OBR partner that the notice  required
    52  by paragraph (b) of subdivision two of this section was delivered to the
    53  applicant;
    54    (3)  billing  and  collection  of  on-bill  repayment  charges  by the

    55  distribution utilities and payment of such charges to the OBR partners;
    56    (4) defaults in payment by applicants;

        A. 10038                            4
 
     1    (5) handling of disputes and complaints by participants in the commer-
     2  cial OBR program, provided that with respect to disputes and  complaints
     3  involving  OBR  obligations  relating  to eligible structures other than
     4  commercial structures, the authority shall be responsible for  resolving
     5  such  complaints  and  disputes,  and  that with respect to disputes and
     6  complaints involving OBR obligations relating to commercial  structures,
     7  such matters shall be addressed through binding arbitration.
     8    (6)  payment  of a fee by the OBR partner within thirty days of initi-

     9  ation of an on-bill repayment charge of  one  hundred  dollars  per  OBR
    10  obligation  to  the distribution utility in whose service territory such
    11  customer is located to help defray the costs that are  directly  associ-
    12  ated with implementing the program;
    13    (7)  payment  of  a  fee  by the OBR partner within thirty days of the
    14  initiation of the on-bill repayment charge  to  the  authority  to  help
    15  defray the costs that are directly associated with the program;
    16    (8)  payment  of a fee by the OBR partner within thirty days of initi-
    17  ation of the on-bill repayment charge of one quarter of one  percent  of
    18  the  amount  of  the OBR obligation to the distribution utility in whose
    19  service territory such customer is located to help defray the costs that

    20  are directly associated with the program;
    21    (9) payment of a fee by the OBR partner  to  the  master  servicer  as
    22  required by the agreement between the authority and the master servicer;
    23  and
    24    (10)  payment  of  a  fee  by the OBR partner to the master service as
    25  required by the agreement between the authority and the master  servicer
    26  for  fees  associated with recording the declaration and satisfaction of
    27  the OBR obligation.
    28    (iv) establish guidance concerning  qualified  clean  energy  improve-
    29  ments;
    30    (v)  establish cost effectiveness standards for such improvements. The
    31  cost-effectiveness of an eligible project shall be evaluated  solely  on

    32  the basis of the costs and projected savings to the applying customer or
    33  such  other  party  as may step into the shoes of the applying customer,
    34  using an engineering process that incorporates best practices as  deter-
    35  mined  by  the  authority  for  (1) standard baselining, including prior
    36  billing data and usage patterns, (2) savings  projections,  (3)  design,
    37  construction and commissioning; (4) operations, maintenance and monitor-
    38  ing,  and  (5) measurement and verification; provided however that based
    39  upon the most recent customer data available, on  an  annualized  basis,
    40  the monthly on-bill repayment amount for a package of measures shall not
    41  exceed one-twelfth of the savings projected to result from the installa-

    42  tion  of  the  measures  provided  further  that nothing herein shall be
    43  construed to prohibit or prevent customers whose primary heating  energy
    44  source is from deliverable fuels from participating in the program; and
    45    (vi) establish requirements for ongoing disclosure to the authority of
    46  (a)  selected  data  concerning  the energy, environmental and financial
    47  outcomes  of  qualified  energy  projects  implemented  with   financing
    48  provided through the commercial OBR program and (b) all information that
    49  the  authority  shall be required to include in its annual report to the
    50  governor, the temporary president of the  senate,  the  speaker  of  the
    51  assembly,  the  minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of

    52  the assembly  concerning  the  authority's  activities  related  to  the
    53  commercial  on-bill  repayment  program as set forth in section nineteen
    54  hundred seven of this title; and
    55    (vii) exercise such other powers as are necessary  or  convenient  for
    56  the  proper  administration of the program, including, at the discretion

        A. 10038                            5
 
     1  of the authority, entering into agreements with applicants and with such
     2  state or federal agencies as necessary to directly receive  rebates  and
     3  grants available for eligible projects and apply such funds to repayment
     4  of applicant OBR obligations.
     5    2. (a) Applicants seeking to participate in the commercial OBR program

     6  shall  arrange  to  obtain,  from  OBR partners, financing for qualified
     7  clean energy improvements. Each OBR  partner  shall  establish  its  own
     8  credit standards for such financing; and The authority shall establish a
     9  process  for  receipt  and  resolution of customer complaints concerning
    10  on-bill repayment charges  arising  from  OBR  obligations  relating  to
    11  eligible  structures other than commercial structures and for addressing
    12  delays and defaults in customer payments with respect to such OBR  obli-
    13  gations.
    14    (b)  Prior  to  the  approval  by  the authority of each OBR agreement
    15  entered into by an applicant pursuant to this section, the  OBR  partner
    16  shall cause to be provided to each applicant proposing to incur such OBR

    17  obligation a notice stating, in clear and conspicuous terms:
    18    (i)  the financial and legal obligations and risks of putting in place
    19  the OBR obligation, including the obligation to provide  or  consent  to
    20  the customer's utility providing the authority information on the sourc-
    21  es  and  quantities  of  energy  used in the customer's premises and any
    22  improvements or modifications to the premises, use of  the  premises  or
    23  energy  consuming  appliances  or equipment of any type that may signif-
    24  icantly affect energy usage;
    25    (ii) that the on-bill repayment charge will be billed by such  custom-
    26  er's  utility  company  and  that  failure to pay such on-bill repayment
    27  charge may result in the customer having his or her  electricity  and/or

    28  gas service terminated for non-payment;
    29    (iii)  that performance of the qualified clean energy improvements may
    30  not result in lower monthly energy costs over time, based on  additional
    31  factors that contribute to monthly energy costs; and
    32    (iv)  (1) in the case of OBR obligations relating to eligible projects
    33  performed on eligible structures other than commercial structures,  that
    34  it  is  the  sole  responsibility  of  the  authority to handle consumer
    35  inquiries and complaints related to the operation and lending associated
    36  with the program, provided further that the authority  shall  provide  a
    37  mechanism to receive such consumer inquiries and complaints.
    38    (2)  in  the  case  of  OBR  obligations relating to eligible projects

    39  performed on commercial structures, that all  disputes  related  to  the
    40  operation  and financing associated with the program shall be subject to
    41  arbitration, as provided in the OBR master agreement.
    42    3. The authority shall make available to the public, on an  anonymized
    43  basis,  selected data concerning the energy, environmental and financial
    44  outcomes  of  qualified  energy  projects  implemented  with   financing
    45  provided through the commercial OBR program.
    46    4.  (a) For each OBR obligation that is approved by the authority, the
    47  New York State Energy Research and Development Authority shall record or
    48  cause to be recorded, pursuant to article nine of the real property law,
    49  in the office of the appropriate recording officer, a  declaration  with

    50  respect  to  the  property improved by such services of the existence of
    51  the OBR obligation and stating the total amount of the  OBR  obligation,
    52  the  term  of  the  OBR obligation, and that the OBR obligation is being
    53  repaid through a charge on an electric or gas meter associated with  the
    54  property.  The  declaration  shall  further state that it is being filed
    55  pursuant to this section and, unless fully satisfied prior  to  sale  or
    56  transfer  of  the  property, the OBR obligation shall survive changes in

        A. 10038                            6
 
     1  ownership, tenancy, or meter account  responsibility  and,  until  fully
     2  satisfied, shall constitute the obligation of the person responsible for

     3  the  meter account. Such declaration shall not constitute a mortgage and
     4  shall  not  create  any  security interest or lien on the property. Upon
     5  satisfaction of the OBR obligation, the authority shall file a  declara-
     6  tion of repayment pursuant to article nine of the real property law.
     7    (b)  The  recording officer shall record such declarations in the same
     8  book, provided under section three hundred fifteen of the real  property
     9  law, in which such recording officer records deeds.
    10    §  1905.  Advisory council. 1. The authority shall establish a commer-
    11  cial on-bill repayment advisory council to advise the authority  on  the
    12  creation  and  implementation  of the program. The council shall consist
    13  of:

    14    (a) The president of the authority; the  secretary  of  state;  ;  the
    15  chair  of  the  department of public service; the president of the power
    16  authority of the state of New York; the president  of  the  Long  Island
    17  power  authority;  the commissioner of economic development; the commis-
    18  sioner of environmental conservation; or the designees of such  persons;
    19  and
    20    (b)  Unions,  including  building trades and property services; large-
    21  scale construction contractors;  investment  market  experts;  financial
    22  market  experts;  environmental non-governmental organizations; and real
    23  estate experts.
    24    2. The president of the authority shall serve  as  the  chair  of  the
    25  council.

    26    §  1906.  Annual reporting. 1.  No later than October first, two thou-
    27  sand fifteen and October first of each year thereafter, the president of
    28  the authority shall issue an annual report to the governor,  the  tempo-
    29  rary  president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority
    30  leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly  concerning
    31  the  authority's  activities related to the commercial on-bill repayment
    32  program created pursuant to this title. Such report shall  include,  but
    33  not be limited to the following information:
    34    2.  The  status  of the authority's activities and outcomes related to
    35  section nineteen hundred four of this title. Such report shall  include,
    36  but not be limited to:

    37    (a)  The  number of persons who have applied for OBR obligations to be
    38  established through the program;
    39    (b) The number of OBR obligations in default;
    40    (c) The amount and nature of the costs incurred by the  authority  for
    41  the  activities described in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section
    42  nineteen hundred four of this title;
    43    (d) The authority's activities  and outcomes related  to  establishing
    44  the  commercial  on-bill  repayment  mechanism,  including the number of
    45  persons who have applied the opportunity to  utilize  on-bill  repayment
    46  and the results of the evaluation program performed pursuant to subdivi-
    47  sion three of section nineteen hundred four of this title;

    48    (e) The amount expended by the authority in support of the program and
    49  the purposes for which such funds have been expended;
    50    (f)  The  number  of  customers  participating  in the program and the
    51  amounts financed pursuant to OBR agreements with respect  to  which  OBR
    52  obligations have been established;
    53    (g)  The  number  of  program participants who are in arrears in their
    54  utility accounts for electric and/or gas service;
    55    (h) The number of program participants who are  in  arrears  in  their
    56  on-bill repayment charge payments;

        A. 10038                            7
 
     1    (i)  The number of program participants whose utility service has been
     2  terminated for non-payment;

     3    (j)  A  description  of the geographic distribution of OBR obligations
     4  made;
     5    (k) An estimate of the energy savings resulting from this program; and
     6    (l) An estimate of the average project cost.
     7    § 1907. Funds, administration and  evaluation  and  coordination.  The
     8  authority  is  authorized  to  accept,  as agent of the state, any gift,
     9  grant, devise or bequest, whether conditional or unconditional,  includ-
    10  ing  but not limited to federal grants, and to use monies made available
    11  for the program from any public or private source, for  the  purpose  of
    12  administering and evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
    13    §  3.  Subdivision 4 of section 1855 of the public authorities law, as

    14  amended by chapter 487 of the laws  of  2009,  is  amended  to  read  as
    15  follows:
    16    4.  To make rules and regulations governing the exercise of its corpo-
    17  rate powers and the fulfillment of its  corporate  purposes  under  this
    18  title  [and  title]  and titles nine-A and nine-b of this article, which
    19  shall be filed with the department of state in the  manner  provided  by
    20  section one hundred two of the executive law.
    21    §  4.  Paragraph  (h)  of  subdivision 2 of section 18-a of the public
    22  service law, as amended by section 2 of part A of  chapter  173  of  the
    23  laws of 2013, is amended by to read as follows:
    24    (h) On-bill recovery charges billed pursuant to section sixty-six-m of
    25  this  chapter  and  on-bill repayment charges billed pursuant to section

    26  sixty-six-n of this chapter shall be excluded from any determination  of
    27  an  entity's  gross  operating  revenues derived from intrastate utility
    28  operations for purposes of this section.
    29    § 5. Paragraph (d) of subdivision  6  of  section  65  of  the  public
    30  service  law,  as amended by chapter 388 of the laws of 2011, is amended
    31  to read as follows:
    32    (d) for installation of capital improvements and fixtures  to  promote
    33  energy  efficiency upon the request and consent of the customer, includ-
    34  ing but not limited (i) to the performance of qualified energy efficien-
    35  cy services for customers participating in  green  jobs-green  New  York
    36  on-bill  recovery  pursuant  to  section sixty-six-m of this article; or
    37  (ii) the performance of qualified energy clean energy  improvements  for

    38  customers  participating  in  the  commercial  on-bill repayment program
    39  pursuant to section sixty-six-n of this article.
    40    § 6. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 66-n to
    41  read as follows:
    42    § 66-n. Commercial on-bill repayment program. 1.  (a)  the  commission
    43  shall,  within  forty-five  days  of the effective date of this section,
    44  commence a proceeding to investigate the implementation by each combina-
    45  tion electric and gas corporation having annual revenues  in  excess  of
    46  two  hundred  million  dollars  of  a billing and collection service for
    47  on-bill repayment charges in payment of  obligations  of  its  customers
    48  pursuant  to the commercial on-bill repayment program established pursu-

    49  ant to title nine-b of article eight of the public authorities law  and,
    50  within one hundred fifty days of the effective date of this section, the
    51  commission  shall  make  a  determination  establishing  the billing and
    52  collection procedures for such on-bill repayment charges. The department
    53  shall consult with the New York State Energy  Research  and  Development
    54  Authority  in  the  preparation of its recommendations to the commission
    55  for such determination. The commission shall require such  electric  and
    56  gas corporations to offer billing and collection services for commercial

        A. 10038                            8
 
     1  on-bill  repayment  charges  for eligible customers within three hundred

     2  days of the effective date of this section. To the  extent  practicable,
     3  such  electric  and  gas  corporations shall utilize existing electronic
     4  data interchange infrastructure or other existing billing infrastructure
     5  to  implement  their  billing and collection responsibilities under this
     6  section.
     7    (b) The commission may suspend such an electric and gas  corporation's
     8  participation  in the commercial on-bill repayment program provided that
     9  the commission, after conducting a hearing as provided in section twenty
    10  of this chapter, makes a finding that there is a significant increase in
    11  arrears or utility service disconnections that the commission determines
    12  is directly related to on-bill repayment charges, or a finding of  other

    13  good cause. Any suspension pursuant to this subdivision shall not affect
    14  such  electric  and  gas  corporation's  obligations with respect to any
    15  existing OBR obligations outstanding at the  time  of  such  suspension,
    16  including  the  continued  collection  of  all on-bill repayment charges
    17  related thereto.
    18    (c) The on-bill repayment charge shall be collected on the  bill  from
    19  the  customer's  electric  corporation unless the qualified clean energy
    20  improvements at that customer's premises result in more projected energy
    21  savings on the customer's gas bill than the electric bill, in which case
    22  such charge shall be collected on the customer's gas corporation bill.
    23    2. Schedules for the  collection  and  billing  of  on-bill  repayment

    24  charges shall provide:
    25    (a)  That  billing  and  collection services shall be available to all
    26  customers who have met the standards established by the New  York  state
    27  energy  research  and  development  authority  for  participation in the
    28  commercial on-bill repayment program and have executed an OBR  agreement
    29  for  the  performance  of qualified clean energy improvements under such
    30  program and have established an OBR obligation pursuant to section nine-
    31  teen hundred four of the public authorities law;
    32    (b) That the responsibilities of such electric and gas corporation are
    33  limited to providing billing and collection services for on-bill  repay-
    34  ment charges as directed by the authority;

    35    (c)  Unless  fully  satisfied  prior to sale or transfer, that (i) the
    36  on-bill repayment charges for any services provided  at  the  customer's
    37  premises  shall  survive  changes in ownership, tenancy or meter account
    38  responsibility, and (ii) that arrears in on-bill  repayment  charges  at
    39  the time of account closure or meter transfer shall remain the responsi-
    40  bility  of  the incurring customer, unless expressly assumed by a subse-
    41  quent purchaser of the property subject to such charges;
    42    (d) With respect to a customer account with an electric and gas corpo-
    43  ration that has been closed and in which arrearages exist, including  an
    44  arrearage  with  respect  to an on-bill repayment charge, the commission

    45  may adopt rules providing that after a period of time to  be  determined
    46  by  the commission, the share of total arrearage that is attributable to
    47  the on-bill repayment charge may be deemed, as of a date certain, to  be
    48  an  obligation  owed directly to the OBR partner and not to the electric
    49  and gas corporation;
    50    (e) With respect to a customer remitting less than  the  total  amount
    51  due  for electric and/or gas services and on-bill repayment charges, the
    52  authority may require that payments be allocated to the utility and  the
    53  OBR  partner  in  accordance  with  a  waterfall,  such  waterfall to be
    54  designed with an objective of not increasing utility bad  debt  expense,
    55  with  priority  in  the  waterfall  being  given  to past-due amounts in

    56  accordance with the billing period during which any  such  amounts  were

        A. 10038                            9
 
     1  accrued, with no allocations of arrearages or current charges being made
     2  to either the utility or the OBR partner while arrearages of either type
     3  from any earlier billing period remain outstanding, and, with respect to
     4  charges  that accrued during the same billing period, allocations to the
     5  utility in respect of any non-OBR charges in all cases being made  ahead
     6  of allocations to the OBR partner for any OBR charges
     7    (f)  Billing and collection services shall be available without regard
     8  to whether the energy or fuel delivered by the utility is the customer's
     9  primary energy source;

    10    (g) Unless otherwise precluded by law, participation in the commercial
    11  on-bill repayment program shall not affect a customer's eligibility  for
    12  any rebate or incentive offered by a utility or the New York state ener-
    13  gy research and development authority; and
    14    (h)  Any  other  provisions  necessary  to provide for the billing and
    15  collection of on-bill repayment charges.
    16    § 7. Sections 1020-ii, 1020-jj and 1020-kk of the  public  authorities
    17  law,  as  renumbered  by chapter 388 of the laws of 2011, are renumbered
    18  sections 1020-jj, 1020-kk and 1020-ll and a new section 1020-ii is added
    19  to read as follows:
    20    § 1020-ii. Commercial on-bill repayment. 1. Within three hundred  days
    21  of  the  effective date of this section, the authority shall establish a

    22  program to provide for the billing and collection of  on-bill  repayment
    23  charges  for  payment  of obligations of its customers to the commercial
    24  on-bill repayment program established pursuant to title nine-b of  arti-
    25  cle  eight of the public authorities law. Such program shall be consist-
    26  ent with the standards set forth in section sixty-six-n  of  the  public
    27  service  law.  Billing  and collection services under such tariffs shall
    28  commence as soon as practicable after establishment of the program.
    29    2. The authority may suspend its offering  of  the  on-bill  repayment
    30  charge  provided  that  the  authority  makes  a finding that there is a
    31  significant increase in arrears or utility service  disconnections  that

    32  the  authority determines is directly related to such charge, or a find-
    33  ing of other good cause.
    34    § 8. Section 242 of the real property law is amended by adding  a  new
    35  subdivision 5 to read as follows:
    36    5. Disclosure prior to the sale of real property to which a commercial
    37  on-bill  repayment  charge applies. (a) any person, firm, company, part-
    38  nership or corporation offering to sell real property which  is  subject
    39  to  a  commercial  on-bill  repayment charge pursuant to title nine-b of
    40  article eight of the public authorities law shall provide written notice
    41  to the prospective purchaser or the prospective purchaser's agent, stat-
    42  ing as follows: "this property is subject to a commercial on-bill repay-

    43  ment charge". Such notice shall also include, as an attachment, the  OBR
    44  agreement governing the commercial on-bill repayment obligation, includ-
    45  ing  any  modifications  thereto,  a  description  of  the  clean energy
    46  improvements performed, including improvements to the property,  and  an
    47  explanation of the benefit of the commercial on-bill repayment qualified
    48  clean energy services. such notice shall be provided by the seller prior
    49  to accepting a purchase offer.
    50    (b) Any prospective or actual purchaser who has suffered a loss due to
    51  a  violation  of  this  subdivision  is  entitled  to recover any actual
    52  damages incurred from the person offering to sell or selling  said  real
    53  property.

    54    §  9. section 291-j of the real property law, as added by section 2 of
    55  part DD of chapter 58 of the  laws  of  2012,  is  amended  to  read  as
    56  follows:

        A. 10038                           10
 
     1    §  291-j.  Recording  of  declarations  by  the  New York state energy
     2  research and development authority. 1. Pursuant to subdivision  five  of
     3  section  eighteen  hundred ninety-six of the public authorities law, the
     4  New York state energy research and development authority shall record or
     5  cause  to  be recorded, in the office of the appropriate recording offi-
     6  cer, a declaration evidencing the existence of a loan as described ther-
     7  ein and, upon satisfaction of such loan, such  authority  shall  file  a
     8  declaration  of  repayment  and  full satisfaction of the loan repayment

     9  utility meter charge. The recording officer shall record  such  declara-
    10  tions  in the same book, provided under section three hundred fifteen of
    11  the real property law, in which such recording officer records deeds.
    12    2. Pursuant to subdivision four of section nineteen  hundred  four  of
    13  the  public  authorities  law,  the  New  York state energy research and
    14  development authority shall record or  cause  to  be  recorded,  in  the
    15  office  of  the  appropriate recording officer, a declaration evidencing
    16  the existence of an OBR obligation as described therein and, upon satis-
    17  faction of such OBR obligation, such authority shall file a  declaration
    18  of repayment and full satisfaction of the OBR obligation.  The recording
    19  officer  shall  record such declaration in the same book, provided under

    20  section three hundred fifteen of this article, in which  such  recording
    21  officer records deeds.
    22    § 10. This act shall take effect immediately.
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