Bill Text: NJ S3054 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires electric or gas public utilities to apply residential rates and charges to any business heated or cooled by residential heating or cooling system.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-11-14 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [S3054 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S3054-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Requires electric or gas public utilities to apply residential rates and charges to any business heated or cooled by residential heating or cooling system.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the rates of certain commercial customers of electric and gas public 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. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, an electric or gas public utility that is subject to the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Utilities shall apply residential rates and charges to any non-residential customer that is a business if the business is heated or cooled by a residential heating or cooling system.
As used in this section, "residential heating or cooling system" means a non-commercial or non-industrial heating or cooling unit, as determined by the Board of Public Utilities, that is typically used to heat or cool a residence.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires an electric or gas public utility that is subject to the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Utilities (board) to apply residential rates and charges to any non-residential customer that is a business if the business is heated or cooled by a residential heating or cooling system. Under current practice, an electric or gas public utility often charges a business a higher, commercial rate even if the business is heated or cooled by a residential heating or cooling system. This bill ensures that a business that is heated or cooled by a residential heating or cooling system is a charged lower, residential rate.
Under the bill, "residential heating or cooling system" means a non-commercial or non-industrial heating or cooling unit, as determined by the board, that is typically used to heat or cool a residence.
