Creates the state office of the utility consumer advocate, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2468
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 17, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  DINOWITZ, PEOPLES-STOKES, PAULIN, ROSENTHAL,
   WEPRIN, COLTON, HEVESI, COOK, STIRPE,  STECK,  LUPARDO,  SANTABARBARA,
   OTIS,  HUNTER,  BARRETT, SEAWRIGHT, TAYLOR, SIMON, BENEDETTO, BURDICK,
   EPSTEIN, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, CRUZ, GLICK, KELLES, GALLAGHER,  SAYEGH,  RA,
   SMITH,  BRABENEC, DeSTEFANO -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Consumer Affairs and Protection
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law,  in  relation  to  creating  the
   state office of the utility consumer advocate
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new  article
 1-A to read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 1-A
             THE STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE
 SECTION 28-A. DEFINITIONS.
         28-B. ESTABLISHMENT  OF THE STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY CONSUMER
                 ADVOCATE.
         28-C. POWERS OF THE STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY  CONSUMER  ADVO-
                 CATE.
         28-D. REPORTS.
   §  28-A.  DEFINITIONS.  WHEN  USED IN THIS ARTICLE:   (A) "DEPARTMENT"
 MEANS THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
   (B) "COMMISSION" MEANS THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
   (C) "RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMER" MEANS ANY PERSON  WHO  IS  SOLD  OR
 OFFERED FOR SALE RESIDENTIAL UTILITY SERVICE BY A UTILITY COMPANY.
   (D)  "UTILITY  COMPANY" MEANS ANY PERSON OR ENTITY OPERATING AN AGENCY
 FOR PUBLIC SERVICE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO,  THOSE  PERSONS  OR
 ENTITIES  SUBJECT  TO  THE  JURISDICTION,  SUPERVISION  AND  REGULATIONS
 PRESCRIBED BY OR PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER.
   § 28-B. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STATE  OFFICE  OF  THE  UTILITY  CONSUMER
 ADVOCATE.  THERE IS ESTABLISHED THE STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY CONSUMER

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05952-01-5
 A. 2468                             2
 
 ADVOCATE TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF  RESIDENTIAL  UTILITY  CUSTOMERS.
 THE  UTILITY  CONSUMER  ADVOCATE SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO A
 TERM OF SIX YEARS, UPON THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE SENATE. THE UTILI-
 TY  CONSUMER  ADVOCATE SHALL POSSESS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS
 AFFECTING RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS AND SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
 DIRECTION, CONTROL, AND OPERATION OF THE STATE  OFFICE  OF  THE  UTILITY
 CONSUMER  ADVOCATE,  INCLUDING  ITS  HIRING  OF  STAFF  AND RETENTION OF
 EXPERTS FOR ANALYSIS AND TESTIMONY IN PROCEEDINGS. THE UTILITY  CONSUMER
 ADVOCATE  SHALL  NOT BE REMOVED FOR CAUSE, BUT MAY BE REMOVED ONLY AFTER
 NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, AND ONLY FOR  PERMANENT  DISABILITY,
 MALFEASANCE, A FELONY, OR CONDUCT INVOLVING MORAL TURPITUDE. EXERCISE OF
 INDEPENDENT  JUDGMENT  IN  ADVOCATING POSITIONS ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTIAL
 UTILITY CUSTOMERS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE CAUSE FOR REMOVAL OF THE  UTILITY
 CONSUMER ADVOCATE.
   §  28-C.  POWERS OF THE STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE.
 THE STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE SHALL HAVE  THE  POWER
 AND  DUTY  TO:  (A)  INITIATE, INTERVENE IN, OR PARTICIPATE ON BEHALF OF
 RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS IN ANY PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE  COMMISSION,
 THE  FEDERAL  ENERGY  REGULATORY  COMMISSION, THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
 COMMISSION, FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND REGULATORY AGEN-
 CIES, AND STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS IN ANY MATTER OR PROCEEDING THAT  MAY
 SUBSTANTIALLY  AFFECT  THE  INTERESTS  OF RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS,
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A  PROPOSED  CHANGE  OF  RATES,  CHARGES,
 TERMS  AND  CONDITIONS  OF  SERVICE, THE ADOPTION OF RULES, REGULATIONS,
 GUIDELINES, ORDERS, STANDARDS OR FINAL POLICY DECISIONS WHERE THE UTILI-
 TY CONSUMER ADVOCATE DEEMS  SUCH  INITIATION,  INTERVENTION  OR  PARTIC-
 IPATION TO BE NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE;
   (B)  REPRESENT  THE  INTERESTS OF RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS OF THE
 STATE BEFORE FEDERAL, STATE  AND  LOCAL  ADMINISTRATIVE  AND  REGULATORY
 AGENCIES ENGAGED IN THE REGULATION OF ENERGY, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, WATER,
 AND  OTHER  UTILITY  SERVICES,  AND  BEFORE  STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS IN
 ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS TO REVIEW THE ACTIONS OF UTILITIES OR ORDERS  OF
 UTILITY  REGULATORY  AGENCIES.  ANY  ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT BY THE
 UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE BEFORE A COURT OR AN AGENCY SHALL  BE  BROUGHT
 IN  THE  NAME  OF THE STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE. THE
 UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE MAY JOIN WITH A RESIDENTIAL  UTILITY  CUSTOMER
 OR GROUP OF RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS IN BRINGING AN ACTION;
   (C)  (I) IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER AUTHORITY CONFERRED UPON THE UTILITY
 CONSUMER ADVOCATE, SUCH OFFICE IS AUTHORIZED, AND IT SHALL BE THEIR DUTY
 TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS AS A  PARTY,
 OR  OTHERWISE  PARTICIPATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS
 OF SUCH CUSTOMERS BEFORE ANY AGENCIES OR COURTS.  THE CONSUMER  ADVOCATE
 MAY  INITIATE PROCEEDINGS IF IN THEIR JUDGMENT DOING SO MAY BE NECESSARY
 IN CONNECTION WITH ANY MATTER INVOLVING THE  ACTIONS  OR  REGULATION  OF
 PUBLIC  UTILITY  COMPANIES WHETHER ON APPEAL OR OTHERWISE INITIATED. THE
 UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE MAY MONITOR ALL CASES BEFORE REGULATORY  AGEN-
 CIES  IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMIS-
 SION AND THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION THAT AFFECT THE INTER-
 ESTS OF RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS OF  THE  STATE  AND  MAY  FORMALLY
 PARTICIPATE  IN  THOSE PROCEEDINGS WHICH IN THEIR JUDGMENT WARRANTS SUCH
 PARTICIPATION.
   (II) THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE SHALL  EXERCISE  THEIR  INDEPENDENT
 DISCRETION IN DETERMINING THE INTERESTS OF RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS
 THAT  WILL  BE  ADVOCATED  IN ANY PROCEEDING, AND DETERMINING WHETHER TO
 PARTICIPATE IN OR INITIATE ANY PROCEEDING AND, IN SO DETERMINING,  SHALL
 CONSIDER  THE PUBLIC INTEREST, THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, AND THE SUBSTAN-
 A. 2468                             3
 
 TIALITY OF THE EFFECT OF THE PROCEEDING ON THE INTERESTS OF  RESIDENTIAL
 UTILITY CUSTOMERS;
   (D)  REQUEST  AND  RECEIVE  FROM ANY STATE OR LOCAL AUTHORITY, AGENCY,
 DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION  OF  THE  STATE  OR  POLITICAL  SUBDIVISION  SUCH
 ASSISTANCE,  PERSONNEL, INFORMATION, BOOKS, RECORDS, OTHER DOCUMENTATION
 AND COOPERATION NECESSARY TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES; AND
   (E) ENTER INTO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICES TO
 EFFICIENTLY CARRY OUT THEIR WORK.
   § 28-D. REPORTS. ON JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX  AND  ANNUALLY
 THEREAFTER,  THE  STATE  OFFICE  OF  THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE SHALL
 ISSUE A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE, AND MAKE SUCH REPORT
 AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FREE OF CHARGE ON A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE  WEBSITE,
 CONTAINING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
   (A)  ALL  PROCEEDINGS  THAT  THE  STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY CONSUMER
 ADVOCATE PARTICIPATED IN AND THE OUTCOME OF  SUCH  PROCEEDINGS,  TO  THE
 EXTENT OF SUCH OUTCOME, AND IF NOT CONFIDENTIAL;
   (B)  ESTIMATED  SAVINGS TO RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CONSUMERS THAT RESULTED
 FROM INTERVENTION BY THE STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY CONSUMER  ADVOCATE;
 AND
   (C) POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTED STATUTORY AMENDMENTS THAT THE
 STATE OFFICE OF THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVOCATE DEEMS NECESSARY.
   §  2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.