Bill > S4667

This bill addresses meter-reading fees for residents in multi-unit dwellings by prohibiting electric and gas public utilities from charging customers a meter-reading fee that is higher than the actual cost of their electricity or gas usage in a billing cycle. The bill defines key terms such as "electric public utility" and "gas public utility" as companies distributing electricity or gas to end users in New Jersey, and "meter-reading fee" as a charge for manually reading meters when a customer has opted out of smart meter installation. A "smart meter" is described as a advanced metering device that can record and transmit utility usage data in real-time, with various communication capabilities. The legislation aims to protect residential customers in multi-unit dwellings from being overcharged for manual meter reading services, ensuring that such fees remain proportional to the actual utility usage. The bill will take effect immediately upon enactment.