Bill Text: NJ A3038 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires public water utilities to provide customers notice in utility bills of request for increase in rates.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-10-25 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [A3038 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A3038-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Requires public water utilities to provide customers notice in utility bills of request for increase in rates.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public water utilities 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. Any public water utility that has filed with the Board of Public Utilities a tariff filing or petition for an adjustment in existing tariffs which proposes to increase individual rates, joint rates, tolls, charges, or schedules thereof, shall provide notice of any hearing or proceeding to be held by the board involving such filing or petition. Such notice shall be provided within a reasonable time prior to a hearing or proceeding, as determined by board regulation, and shall be conspicuously enclosed within the bills for service sent by the utility to its customers. A public water utility shall provide to customers who are not provided monthly bills for service, or who are provided such bills electronically, the notification required pursuant to this section via regular mail, and electronically, if applicable, in a manner to be determined by regulation.
b. For the purposes of this section, "public water utility" means a public utility as defined in R.S.48:2-13, that provides water for human consumption.
2. The Board of Public Utilities shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the implementation of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that public water utilities regulation by the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) that have petitioned the BPU for an increase in water rates, shall provide notice of any hearing or proceeding to be held by the BPU involving such a request. Such notice must be provided within a reasonable time prior to a hearing or proceeding, as determined by board regulation, and shall be conspicuously enclosed within the bills for service sent by the utility, or other written notice, as appropriate.
