Bill > A2063

Introduced Session

This bill requires that electric, gas, water, and sewer public utilities regulated by the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) that have petitioned the BPU for an increase in rates, shall provide notice to individual customers of any hearing or proceeding to be held concerning such a request. Such notice must be provided reasonably in advance of the hearing or proceeding, as determined by board rules or regulations, and shall be conspicuously set forth in writing in or with the bills for service sent by the public utility, or other written notice, to each of its customers and publicized in the public notice section of a newspaper having substantial readership, printed, and published within each county in which the public utility provides service. The bill amends the law concerning public hearings conducted in relation to proposed rate increases by any public utility to provide that such hearings shall be held in the municipality with the largest population that may be affected by the increase. If the increase would affect municipalities in more than one county, the hearings would be held in the municipality with the largest population in each affected county. In addition, the bill directs the BPU to receive and address public questions and comments concerning the proposed rate increase submitted during the public hearing.

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Joe Howarth (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee (on 01/09/2018)