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A00836 Summary:

A00836 Actions:

A00836 Committee Votes:

Committee:ENERGY   Chair:Barrett      
DATE:05/20/2025AYE/NAY:11/5  Action: Favorable refer to committee Codes        
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

Committee:CODES   Chair:Dinowitz      
DATE:05/28/2025AYE/NAY:15/6  Action: Favorable refer to committee Ways and Means        
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

Committee:WAYS AND MEANS   Chair:Pretlow      
DATE:05/29/2025AYE/NAY:24/10  Action: Favorable refer to committee Rules        
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

Committee:RULES   Chair:Glick      
DATE:06/09/2025AYE/NAY:17/8  Action: Favorable         
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

A00836 Floor Votes:

A00836 Memo:

NEW 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:

 
                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.
                                                                   LBD03308-01-5
        A. 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  of
        A. 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.