Bill
Bill > A5938
NJ A5938
NJ A5938Prohibits electric public utilities from billing customers for certain services during service interruptions and requires repair of certain street lights.
summary
Introduced
07/24/2025
07/24/2025
In Committee
07/24/2025
07/24/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026
01/12/2026
Introduced Session
2024-2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill prohibits an electric public utility from charging a customer for the usage or provision of electricity during a service interruption. In addition, the bill requires an electric public utility, for each billing cycle in which a service interruption occurs, to reduce the amount of any fixed charges, which charges are not tied to a customer's electricity usage, on a customer's monthly bill by an amount proportionate to the length of time that a customer was without electric service due to a service interruption. Under the bill, "service interruption" means the cessation of electricity service to a customer of an electric public utility. In addition, the bill requires an electric public utility to repair any damaged or otherwise defective street lights that are under the utility's jurisdiction or otherwise maintained by the utility within 10 business days of the utility receiving notice that a street light has been damaged or is otherwise defective. Under the bill, an electric public utility is prohibited from charging a customer for electric service to the street light until the repair has been completed.
AI Summary
This bill addresses customer billing and service quality for electric utilities in New Jersey by establishing several key protections. The bill defines an electric public utility as a company that transmits and distributes electricity to end users, and defines a service interruption as a complete cessation of electric service. Under the bill, electric utilities are prohibited from charging customers for electricity during any service interruption, and must proportionally reduce fixed charges on a customer's monthly bill based on the duration of the service outage. Additionally, the bill requires electric utilities to repair damaged or defective street lights within 10 business days of receiving notice of the damage, and prohibits charging customers for electricity or fixed charges related to those street lights until the repairs are completed. The bill applies to all electric public utilities operating within New Jersey and takes effect immediately upon enactment. These provisions aim to protect consumers from being billed for services they are not receiving and incentivize utilities to quickly address service interruptions and infrastructure maintenance.
Committee Categories
Transportation and Infrastructure
Sponsors (3)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee (on 07/24/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A5938 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5938_I1.HTM |
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