Bill Text: NY A08437 | 2009-2010 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Directs the New York state energy research and development authority to study, evaluate and make recommendations on the best technologies available to enable blind and visually impaired customers of public utilities to determine the actual reading of their water, electric and/or gas meters; requires the public service commission to promulgate and implement rules and regulations which effectuate the recommendations of the New York state energy research and development authority.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-05-11 - reported referred to ways and means [A08437 Detail]

Download: New_York-2009-A08437-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         8437
                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                     May 20, 2009
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by M. of A. SWEENEY -- read once and referred to the Commit-
         tee on Energy
       AN ACT to direct the New York  state  energy  research  and  development
         authority to study and report upon the best technology to enable blind
         and  visually  impaired utility customers to read their meters; and to
         amend the public service law, in  relation  to  directing  the  public
         service  commission  to promulgate rules and regulations requiring the
         implementation of such technologies by utilities
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The New York state energy research and development authori-
    2  ty  is  hereby  authorized  and  directed to study and evaluate the best
    3  existing technologies and equipment which could be implemented by utili-
    4  ty corporations and municipalities to enable and  facilitate  blind  and
    5  visually  impaired  customers  to  determine  the actual reading of such
    6  customers' water meters, electric meters and/or gas meters.
    7    S 2. Within 180 days of the effective date of this act, the  New  York
    8  state  energy  research  and  development authority shall issue and make
    9  public a report on the findings of its study  and  evaluation  conducted
   10  pursuant  to  section  one  of  this  act. Such report shall include the
   11  recommendations of such authority on the feasible, best technologies and
   12  equipment available  for  use  by  utilities,  and  blind  and  visually
   13  impaired  utility  customers to assist such customers in determining the
   14  actual readings of their utility meters. In addition,  such  report  and
   15  recommendations  shall  be  submitted  to  the  governor, public service
   16  commission and legislature.
   17    S 3. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 39-a to
   18  read as follows:
   19    S 39-A. METERING; BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED UTILITY CUSTOMERS. WITH-
   20  IN TWO HUNDRED TEN DAYS OF THE COMMISSION'S RECEIPT OF THE REPORT ISSUED
   21  BY THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY PURSUANT
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD02946-01-9
       A. 8437                             2
    1  TO SECTION TWO OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF  TWO  THOUSAND  NINE  WHICH
    2  ADDED  THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSION SHALL PROMULGATE AND IMPLEMENT RULES
    3  AND REGULATIONS WHICH IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF SUCH REPORT. SUCH
    4  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  MAY  BE  AMENDED  FROM  TIME TO TIME TO REFLECT
    5  ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT.
    6    S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.