Bill > A4886

Introduced Session

This bill prohibits an electric public utility (utility) from installing a smart meter unless the utility obtains the customer's written consent and provides the customer with a written disclosure detailing the type of data that will be transmitted from the customer's smart meter to the utility, how the data will be used, and any potential disclosure of the data to a third-party. Under the bill, a smart meter means an electrical meter that identifies a customer's electric power consumption in greater detail than a conventional meter. A smart meter provides a customer with real-time usage information and pricing data on at least an hourly basis, records, and stores hourly usage data, reports the status of the electric power supply for a customer's premises to a utility, and turns electric power to a customer's premises on or off through remote disconnection or connection of service. Across the country, utilities are installing smart meter technology. This technology has raised privacy concerns because the information gathered from smart meters includes unencrypted data that can reveal when a homeowner is away from their residence for long periods of time. The information gathered from smart meters can also decipher what type of activities a customer is engaged in, such as watching television, using a computer, or how long someone spends cooking. In response to privacy concerns, Oklahoma has enacted legislation concerning smart meters and customer privacy which limits the sharing of smart meter data. In addition, the Vermont affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union has proposed certain guidelines regarding smart meters, including requiring law enforcement to obtain a warrant prior to accessing smart meter data. The purpose of this bill is for customers to be informed of the privacy issues that may arise from smart meter technology. Since the use of smart meters raises a number of privacy concerns, electric utilities should inform customers of privacy issues prior to installing a smart meter.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Alex Sauickie (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee (on 11/21/2022)

Official Document