- Summary
- Actions
- Committee Votes
- Floor Votes
- Memo
- Text
- LFIN
- Chamber Video/Transcript
A00836 Summary:
BILL NO | A00836 |
  | |
SAME AS | SAME AS S02477 |
  | |
SPONSOR | Solages (MS) |
  | |
COSPNSR | Rosenthal, Simon, Colton, Otis, Lupardo, Santabarbara, Shrestha, Kelles, Epstein, Seawright, Septimo, Reyes, Simone, Jacobson |
  | |
MLTSPNSR | Glick, Hevesi |
  | |
Add §24-c, Pub Serv L; add §97-uuuu, St Fin L | |
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Relates to utility intervenor reimbursement to a participant for its reasonable costs of participation in any proceeding before the Public Service Commission (PSC). |
A00836 Actions:
BILL NO | A00836 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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01/08/2025 | referred to energy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
05/20/2025 | reported referred to codes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
05/28/2025 | reported referred to ways and means | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
05/29/2025 | reported referred to rules | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
06/09/2025 | reported | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
06/09/2025 | rules report cal.482 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
06/09/2025 | ordered to third reading rules cal.482 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
06/10/2025 | passed assembly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
06/10/2025 | delivered to senate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
06/10/2025 | REFERRED TO RULES |
A00836 Committee Votes:
Barrett | Aye | Palmesano | Nay | ||||||
Santabarbara | Aye | Blankenbush | Nay | ||||||
Dilan | Aye | Manktelow | Nay | ||||||
Stern | Aye | Gray | Nay | ||||||
Anderson | Aye | Pirozzolo | Nay | ||||||
Rivera | Aye | ||||||||
Mamdani | Excused | ||||||||
Conrad | Aye | ||||||||
Lucas | Aye | ||||||||
Shrestha | Aye | ||||||||
Clark | Aye | ||||||||
Dais | Aye | ||||||||
Dinowitz | Aye | Morinello | Nay | ||||||
Cook | Aye | Reilly | Nay | ||||||
Simon | Aye | Mikulin | Nay | ||||||
Weprin | Aye | Tannousis | Nay | ||||||
Hevesi | Aye | Angelino | Nay | ||||||
Seawright | Aye | Molitor | Nay | ||||||
Rosenthal | Aye | ||||||||
Walker | Aye | ||||||||
Vanel | Aye | ||||||||
Cruz | Aye | ||||||||
Epstein | Aye | ||||||||
Bores | Aye | ||||||||
Reyes | Aye | ||||||||
Cunningham | Absent | ||||||||
Romero | Aye | ||||||||
Alvarez | Aye | ||||||||
Pretlow | Aye | Ra | Nay | ||||||
Glick | Aye | Fitzpatrick | Nay | ||||||
Colton | Aye | Hawley | Nay | ||||||
Cook | Aye | Blankenbush | Nay | ||||||
Benedetto | Aye | Palmesano | Nay | ||||||
Weprin | Aye | Walsh | Nay | ||||||
Ramos | Aye | DeStefano | Nay | ||||||
Braunstein | Aye | Manktelow | Nay | ||||||
McDonald | Aye | Smullen | Nay | ||||||
Rozic | Aye | Giglio | Nay | ||||||
Dinowitz | Aye | ||||||||
Magnarelli | Aye | ||||||||
Bronson | Aye | ||||||||
Dilan | Aye | ||||||||
Seawright | Excused | ||||||||
Hyndman | Aye | ||||||||
Walker | Aye | ||||||||
Bichotte Hermel | Aye | ||||||||
Simon | Aye | ||||||||
Cruz | Aye | ||||||||
Otis | Aye | ||||||||
Solages | Aye | ||||||||
Hunter | Aye | ||||||||
Epstein | Aye | ||||||||
Septimo | Aye | ||||||||
Heastie | Excused | Barclay | Nay | ||||||
Pretlow | Aye | Hawley | Nay | ||||||
Cook | Aye | Blankenbush | Nay | ||||||
Glick | Aye | Ra | Nay | ||||||
Dinowitz | Aye | Brabenec | Nay | ||||||
Colton | Aye | Palmesano | Nay | ||||||
Magnarelli | Excused | Reilly | Excused | ||||||
Paulin | Aye | Smith | Nay | ||||||
Peoples-Stokes | Aye | Jensen | Nay | ||||||
Benedetto | Aye | ||||||||
Lavine | Aye | ||||||||
Lupardo | Aye | ||||||||
Braunstein | Aye | ||||||||
Davila | Excused | ||||||||
Hyndman | Excused | ||||||||
Rozic | Aye | ||||||||
Bronson | Aye | ||||||||
Hevesi | Aye | ||||||||
Hunter | Aye | ||||||||
Taylor | Aye | ||||||||
Cruz | Aye | ||||||||
Vanel | Excused | ||||||||
Go to top
A00836 Floor Votes:
Yes
Alvarez
Yes
Carroll P
No
Friend
Yes
Lee
Yes
Peoples-Stokes
No ‡
Slater
Yes
Anderson
Yes
Carroll RC
Yes
Gallagher
No
Lemondes
Yes
Pheffer Amato
No
Smith
No
Angelino
Yes
Chandler-Waterm
No
Gallahan
Yes
Levenberg
No
Pirozzolo
No
Smullen
No
Bailey
No
Chang
No
Gandolfo
Yes
Lucas
Yes
Pretlow
Yes
Solages
No
Barclay
No
Chludzinski
Yes
Gibbs
Yes
Lunsford
No
Ra
Yes
Steck
Yes ‡
Barrett
Yes
Clark
No
Giglio
Yes
Lupardo
Yes
Raga
Yes
Stern
Yes
Beephan
Yes
Colton
Yes
Glick
Yes ‡
Magnarelli
Yes
Rajkumar
Yes
Stirpe
Yes
Bendett
Yes
Conrad
Yes
Gonzalez-Rojas
No
Maher
Yes
Ramos
No
Tague
Yes
Benedetto
Yes
Cook
Yes
Gray
ER
Mamdani
No
Reilly
No
Tannousis
Yes
Berger
Yes
Cruz
Yes
Griffin
No
Manktelow
Yes
Reyes
Yes
Tapia
Yes
Bichotte Hermel
Yes
Cunningham
No
Hawley
Yes
McDonald
Yes
Rivera
Yes
Taylor
No
Blankenbush
Yes
Dais
Yes
Hevesi
No ‡
McDonough
Yes
Romero
Yes
Torres
No
Blumencranz
Yes
Davila
Yes
Hooks
Yes
McMahon
Yes
Rosenthal
Yes
Valdez
No
Bologna
Yes
De Los Santos
Yes
Hunter
Yes
Meeks
ER
Rozic
Yes
Vanel
Yes
Bores
No
DeStefano
Yes
Hyndman
No
Mikulin
Yes
Santabarbara
Yes
Walker
No
Brabenec
Yes
Dilan
Yes
Jackson
Yes
Miller
Yes
Sayegh
No
Walsh
Yes
Braunstein
Yes
Dinowitz
Yes
Jacobson
Yes
Mitaynes
Yes
Schiavoni
Yes
Weprin
Yes
Bronson
No
DiPietro
No
Jensen
No
Molitor
Yes
Seawright
Yes
Wieder
No
Brook-Krasny
No
Durso
No
Jones
No
Morinello
No
Sempolinski
ER
Williams
No
Brown EA
Yes
Eachus
Yes
Kassay
No
Norber
ER
Septimo
No
Woerner
No
Brown K
Yes
Eichenstein
Yes
Kay
No
Novakhov
Yes
Shimsky
Yes
Wright
Yes
Burdick
Yes
Epstein
Yes
Kelles
Yes
O'Pharrow
Yes
Shrestha
Yes
Yeger
Yes
Burke
ER
Fall
Yes
Kim
Yes
Otis
Yes
Simon
Yes
Zaccaro
Yes
Burroughs
No
Fitzpatrick
Yes
Lasher
No
Palmesano
Yes
Simone
Yes
Zinerman
No
Buttenschon
Yes
Forrest
Yes
Lavine
Yes
Paulin
No
Simpson
Yes
Mr. Speaker
‡ Indicates voting via videoconference
A00836 Memo:
Go to topNEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)   BILL NUMBER: A836 SPONSOR: Solages (MS)
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public service law, in relation to utility interve- nor reimbursement; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the utility intervenor account   SUMMARY: Section 1. Amends the public service law by adding a new section 24-c. Section 2. Amends the state finance law by adding a new section 97-uuuu. Section 3. Sets the effective date.   JUSTIFICATION: The intent of this legislation is to recognize and remedy the fact that individual action by residential consumers and small businesses for the purposes of participating in utility matters and communicating their views is rendered impracticable by reason of the disproportionate expense of taking such action. Public Service Commission (PSC) proceedings sometimes minimize public participation. It can be difficult for New Yorkers to follow relevant proceedings. The Commission's usual meeting time is 10:30 a.m., a time when the average citizen or small business owner is not likely to participate. In many instances, the only people who can attend on a regular basis are most likely those whose job depends on it, such as representatives of the utilities and other special interests. The legis- lation recognizes that citizen participation should be encouraged when government regulators set policy. Individuals who seek to participate in PSC utility proceedings are referred to as intervenors. Increased public participation through the intervenor process, if sought and not fought, will spur a more open and accountable government regulatory process that may yield creative socially responsible solutions to difficult issues. This legislation will provide a mechanism to allow residential and small business utility customers to access financial resources to become active participants in PSC proceedings. This includes the ability to receive compensation of advocate fees; expert witness fees, and other reasonable costs associated with their participation.   SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: TBD.   LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2024: A8611; veto. 2023: A7165; veto, 2021-22: A873; veto 161. 2019-20: A145; referred to energy. 2017-18: A17; referred to energy. 2015-16: A860a; referred to energy. 2013-14: A1247; referred to energy. 2011-12: A27a; reported to ways and means. 2010: A8722d; referred to ways and means. 2009: A8722; referred to energy.   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None to the state.   EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
A00836 Text:
Go to top STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 836 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES, ROSENTHAL, SIMON, COLTON, OTIS, LUPARDO, SANTABARBARA, SHRESTHA, KELLES, EPSTEIN, SEAWRIGHT, SEPTIMO, REYES, SIMONE, JACOBSON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GLICK, HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Energy AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to utility interve- nor reimbursement; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the utility intervenor account 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 24-c to read as follows: 3 § 24-c. Utility intervenor reimbursement. 1. As used in this 4 section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 5 (a) "Compensation" means payment from the utility intervenor account 6 fund established by section ninety-seven-uuuu of the state finance law, 7 for all or part, as determined by the department, of reasonable advo- 8 cate's fees, reasonable expert witness fees, and other reasonable costs 9 for preparation and participation in a proceeding. 10 (b) "Participant" means a group of persons that apply jointly for an 11 award of compensation under this section and who represent the interests 12 of a significant number of residential or small business customers, or a 13 not-for-profit organization in this state authorized pursuant to its 14 articles of incorporation or bylaws to represent the interests of resi- 15 dential or small business utility customers. For purposes of this 16 section, a participant does not include a non-profit organization or 17 other organization whose principal interests are the welfare of a public 18 utility or its investors or employees, or the welfare of one or more 19 businesses or industries which receive utility service ordinarily and 20 primarily for use in connection with the profit-seeking manufacture, 21 sale, or distribution of goods or services. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD03308-01-5A. 836 2 1 (c) "Other reasonable costs" means reasonable out-of-pocket expenses 2 directly incurred by a participant that are directly related to the 3 contentions or recommendations made by the participant that resulted in 4 a substantial contribution. 5 (d) "Party" means any interested party, respondent public utility, or 6 commission staff in a hearing or proceeding. 7 (e) "Proceeding" means a complaint, or investigation, rulemaking, or 8 other formal proceeding before the commission, or alternative dispute 9 resolution procedures in lieu of formal proceedings as may be sponsored 10 or endorsed by the commission, provided however such proceedings shall 11 be limited to those arising under and proceeding pursuant to the follow- 12 ing articles of this chapter: (1) the regulation of the price of gas and 13 electricity, pursuant to article four of this chapter except those 14 described in subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (c) of subdivision twelve of 15 section sixty-six of this chapter; (2) the regulation of the price of 16 steam, pursuant to article four-A of this chapter; (3) the submetering, 17 remetering or resale of electricity to residential premises, pursuant to 18 sections sixty-five and sixty-six of this chapter, and pursuant to regu- 19 lations regarding the submetering, remetering, or resale of electricity 20 adopted by the commission; and (4) such sections of this chapter as are 21 applicable to a proceeding in which the commission makes a finding on 22 the record that the public interest requires the reimbursement of utili- 23 ty intervenor fees pursuant to this section. 24 (f) "Significant financial hardship" means that the participant will 25 be unable to afford, without undue hardship, to pay the costs of effec- 26 tive participation, including advocate's fees, expert witness fees, and 27 other reasonable costs of participation. 28 (g) "Small business" means a business with a gross annual revenue of 29 two hundred fifty thousand dollars or less. 30 (h) "Substantial contribution" means that, in the judgment of the 31 department, the participant's application may substantially assist the 32 commission in making its decision because the decision may adopt in 33 whole or in part one or more factual contentions, legal contentions, or 34 specific policy or procedural recommendations that will be presented by 35 the participant. 36 2. A participant may apply for an award of compensation under this 37 section in a proceeding in which such participant has sought active 38 party status as defined by the department. The department shall deter- 39 mine appropriate procedures for accepting and responding to such appli- 40 cations. At the time of application, such participant shall serve on 41 every party to the proceeding notice of intent to apply for an award of 42 compensation. 43 An application shall include: 44 (a) A statement of the nature and extent and the factual and legal 45 basis of the participant's planned participation in the proceeding as 46 far as it is possible to describe such participation with reasonable 47 specificity at the time the application is filed. 48 (b) At minimum, a reasonably detailed description of anticipated advo- 49 cates and expert witness fees and other costs of preparation and partic- 50 ipation that the participant expects to request as compensation. 51 (c) If participation or intervention will impose a significant finan- 52 cial hardship and the participant seeks payment in advance to an award 53 of compensation in order to initiate, continue or complete participation 54 in the hearing or proceeding, such participant must include evidence of 55 such significant financial hardship in its application. 56 (d) Any other requirements as required by the department.A. 836 3 1 3. (a) Within thirty days after the filing of an application the 2 department shall issue a decision that determines whether or not the 3 participant may make a substantial contribution to the final decision in 4 the hearing or proceeding. If the department finds that the participant 5 requesting compensation may make a substantial contribution, the depart- 6 ment shall describe this substantial contribution and determine the 7 amount of compensation to be paid pursuant to subdivision four of this 8 section. 9 (b) Notwithstanding subdivision four of this section, if the depart- 10 ment finds that the participant has a significant financial hardship, 11 the department may direct the public utility or utilities subject to the 12 proceeding to pay all or part of the compensation to the department to 13 be provided to the participant prior to the end of the proceeding. In 14 the event that the participant discontinues its participation in the 15 proceeding without the consent of the department, the department shall 16 be entitled to, in whole or in part, recover any payments made to such 17 participant to be refunded to the public utility or utilities that 18 provided such payment. 19 (c) The computation of compensation pursuant to paragraph (a) of this 20 subdivision shall take into consideration the market rates paid to 21 persons of comparable training and experience who offer similar 22 services. The compensation awarded may not, in any case, exceed the 23 comparable market rate for services paid by the department or the public 24 utility, whichever is greater, to persons of comparable training and 25 experience who are offering similar services. 26 (d) Any compensation awarded to a participant and not used by such 27 participant shall be returned to the department for refund to the public 28 utility or utilities that provided such payment. 29 (e) The department shall require that participants seeking payment 30 maintain an itemized record of all expenditures incurred as a result of 31 such proceeding. 32 (i) The department may use the itemized record of expenses to verify 33 the claim of financial hardship by a participant seeking payment pursu- 34 ant to paragraph (c) of subdivision two of this section. 35 (ii) The department may use the record of expenditures in determining, 36 after the completion of a proceeding, if any unused funds remain. 37 (iii) The department shall preserve the confidentiality of the partic- 38 ipant's records in making any audit or determining the availability of 39 funds after the completion of a proceeding. 40 (f) In the event that the department finds that two or more partic- 41 ipants' applications have substantially similar interests, the depart- 42 ment may require such participants to apply jointly in order to receive 43 compensation. 44 4. Any compensation pursuant to this section shall be paid at the 45 conclusion of the proceeding by the public utility or utilities subject 46 to the proceeding within thirty days. Such compensation shall be remit- 47 ted to the department which shall then remit such compensation to the 48 participant. 49 5. The department shall deny any award to any participant who attempts 50 to delay or obstruct the orderly and timely fulfillment of the depart- 51 ment's responsibilities. 52 § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-uuuu 53 to read as follows: 54 § 97-uuuu. Utility intervenor account. 1. There is hereby established 55 in the joint custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner ofA. 836 4 1 taxation and finance a fund to be known as the utility intervenor 2 account. 3 2. Such account shall consist of all utility intervenor reimbursement 4 monies received from utilities pursuant to section twenty-four-c of the 5 public service law. 6 § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall 7 have become a law.