Bill > A10236

This bill establishes enhanced customer service standards and a compliance framework for gas and electric utility customer assistance centers, aiming to ensure high-quality customer care, effective emergency response, and robust consumer protection, regardless of where these centers are physically located. Key provisions include defining terms like "customer assistance call center" (any facility handling over 1,000 New York customer contacts annually), "emergency service call" (reporting immediate threats to safety), and "first-call resolution" (resolving an issue on the first contact). The bill mandates annual certification for these centers based on performance standards such as emergency call hold times, first-call resolution rates, customer satisfaction scores, complaint resolution timelines, and system availability, with these standards applied equally to in-state and out-of-state operations. Utilities operating outside New York must submit a "geographic risk mitigation plan" detailing how they will comply with state requirements, and all centers must demonstrate "operational integration" with field operations. The bill also outlines enforcement mechanisms, including penalties for violations, and requires transparency through quarterly disclosures of operational data and performance metrics. Furthermore, it introduces performance-based incentives for utilities exceeding standards and allows for rate recovery adjustments, potentially disallowing costs for out-of-state operations that don't meet comparable service quality to in-state facilities, while also offering incentives for in-state investment. Finally, it sets an implementation timeline and requires periodic legislative reporting on the effectiveness of these new regulations.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A10236