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Bill > A596
NJ A596
NJ A596Directs public utility to reimburse municipality for police services required for safe completion of public utility project no later than 60 days after municipality submits bill to public utility.
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill requires a public utility to reimburse a municipality no later than 60 days after the municipality submits a bill to the public utility for all actual and related costs a municipality incurs in providing police services required for the safe completion of a public utility project, unless the municipality and public utility have a prior payment agreement established pursuant to local ordinance. If the public utility, after having received a bill from a municipality, elects to enter into negotiations with the municipality concerning the bill, the 60-day bill submission period is to pause on the day negotiations begin and is to resume the day negotiations end. A public utility's reimbursement to a municipality for police services is not to be recoverable from ratepayers. This bill also provides that in a civil action brought against a public utility by a municipality to recover financial losses sustained from providing police services, the court, in its discretion, may award reasonable attorney's fees and costs of a civil action incurred by a plaintiff recovering judgment. A public utility's payment of reasonable attorney's fees and costs of a civil action is not to be recoverable from ratepayers.
AI Summary
This bill mandates that public utilities must reimburse municipalities for the costs of police services needed to ensure the safety of public utility projects within 60 days of receiving a bill, unless a prior payment agreement exists. "Police services" are defined as those provided by a municipal law enforcement department to protect people or property during construction, and "public utility" refers to entities providing essential services like electricity or water, with "public utility project" encompassing any work related to their infrastructure. If a utility enters negotiations about a bill, the 60-day payment clock pauses until negotiations conclude. Importantly, these reimbursements cannot be passed on to customers (ratepayers), and if a municipality sues a utility to recover these costs and wins, the court can award the municipality its attorney fees and legal costs, which also cannot be recovered from ratepayers.
Committee Categories
Transportation and Infrastructure
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee (on 01/13/2026)
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/2026/A596 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A1000/596_I1.HTM |
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