Bill Text: NJ A2086 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires certain telecommunications, cable television, and public utility service providers to notify BPU of service discontinuance to public entities 14 business days prior to shutoff.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee [A2086 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A2086-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JAMES J. KENNEDY
District 22 (Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain telecommunications, cable television, and public utility service providers to notify BPU of service discontinuance to public entities 14 business days prior to shutoff.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning certain telecommunications, cable television, and public utility service discontinuance notices, and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. In addition to the provisions of R.S.48:2-24 or any other applicable rule, regulation, or order of the Board of Public Utilities concerning notice of a pending service discontinuance by an entity to a customer, an entity providing service to a board of education, local unit, or State agency shall notify the Division of Customer Assistance in the Board of Public Utilities, in writing, of any pending service discontinuance due to an unpaid bill at least 14 business days prior to discontinuing service to any property owned or operated by the board of education, local unit, or State agency. The notice shall include the name of the customer of record, the location of the premises, the amount owed, a statement of account including payment history, the method of and attempts made for negotiation and resolution, and the scheduled service discontinuance date.
b. As used in this section:
"Board of education" shall have the same meaning as provided in N.J.S.18A:18A-2.
"Entity" means:
(1) a telecommunications or cable television company under the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Utilities that provides telecommunications or basic cable service;
(2) a public utility, as that term is defined pursuant to R.S.48:2-13, that is regulated by the Board of Public Utilities pursuant to Title 48 of the Revised Statutes that provides electric, gas, water, or sewer utility service; or
(3) a public utility, as that term is defined pursuant to R.S.48:2-13, that provides a service to a State agency under a contract approved by the Board of Public Utilities under which rates for the service are controlled by the terms of the contract.
"Local unit" shall have the same meaning as provided in N.J.S.40A:5-2.
"State agency" means any agency in the executive branch of the State government, including, but not limited to, any department, board, bureau, commission, division, office, council, or instrumentality thereof, or independent agency, public authority or public benefit corporation, and any State college or public institution of higher education.
2. This act shall take
effect immediately, but shall remain inoperative for 60 days following the date
of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires certain telecommunications, cable television, and public utility service providers to notify the Division of Customer Assistance in the Board of Public Utilities, in writing, of any pending service discontinuance due to an unpaid bill at least 14 business days prior to discontinuing service to any property owned or operated by a board of education, local government unit, or State agency. The notice is to include the name of the customer of record, the location of the premises, the amount owed, a statement of account including payment history, the method of and attempts made for negotiation and resolution, and the scheduled service discontinuance date.
