Bill > A05620

This bill establishes mandatory reduced residential rates for electric and natural gas service for low-income customers in New York. The bill requires electric and gas corporations to create rate schedules that reduce bills by 25-35% for eligible customers, which include individuals receiving benefits from programs such as Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, nutrition assistance, medical assistance, home energy assistance, and telephone lifeline assistance. Utility providers must actively work to identify and enroll eligible customers, including providing application forms on websites, at offices, and through bill inserts, and cooperating with social services agencies to verify customer eligibility through privacy-protected data exchanges. The Public Service Commission is tasked with overseeing these rate reductions and ensuring they are implemented by January 1, 2027. To mitigate the financial impact on utility companies, the bill allows for various revenue mitigation strategies, such as applying utility earnings above authorized returns, disallowing certain premiums, and using uncommitted surcharge funds. Importantly, the bill stipulates that any revenue shifts resulting from these low-income rate reductions cannot be borne solely by a single customer class, ensuring a more equitable distribution of the financial burden.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5620