Directs certain unclaimed electric, gas, and water public utility deposits in Unclaimed Utility Deposits Trust Fund and societal charge revenues to be paid to Statewide nonprofit public utility assistance organizations meeting certain eligibility criteria.

A1048

ASSEMBLY, No. 1048

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

SYNOPSIS

���� Directs certain unclaimed electric, gas, and water
public utility deposits in Unclaimed Utility Deposits Trust Fund and societal
charge revenues to be paid to Statewide nonprofit public utility assistance
organizations meeting certain eligibility criteria.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act

concerning certain public utility assistance payments from the Unclaimed
Utility Deposits Trust Fund and from societal benefits charge revenues and amending
various parts of statutory law.

����
Be It Enacted

by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

����� 1.�� The
title of P.L.2000, c.132 is amended to read as follows:

An Act
concerning the establishment and funding of
[
an energy
]

a public
utility
assistance program, supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes,
and amending R.S.46:30B-74 and R.S.46:30B-75.

(cf:
P.L.2000, c.132, title)

���� 2.��� Section 1 of P.L.2000,
c.132 (C.48:2-29.38) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.��� The Legislature finds
and declares that certain citizens of the State may find it difficult to pay
for
[
energy
]

public
utility
services because of a temporary financial reversal, medical
crisis or other family problem; and that nonprofit
[
energy
]
public
utility
assistance organizations such as New Jersey Statewide Heating
Assistance and Referral for Energy Services (SHARES), have been formed, joining
together various nonprofit human service agencies and the major energy
and
water public
utilities in the State to raise money through
contributions of the members and others to provide temporary financial
assistance to needy customers that may have exhausted all other available
resources.

���� The Legislature therefore
determines that it serves a public purpose to provide supplemental funding to
such Statewide nonprofit
[
energy
]

public
utility
assistance organizations from the unclaimed property held by the
electric
[
and
]
,
gas
,
and water public
utilities in the State.

(cf: P.L.2000, c.132, s.1)

���� 3.��� Section 2 of P.L.2000,
c.132 (C.48:2-29.39) is amended to read as follows:

���� 2.��� The Board of Public
Utilities shall designate an established Statewide nonprofit
[
energy
]

public
utility
assistance organization representing the State's major
electric
[
and
]
,
gas
,
and water public
utilities and human service nonprofit groups to
receive supplemental funding from unclaimed property held by the State's
electric
[
and
]
,
gas
,
and water public
utilities that is transferred to the State in
accordance with the requirements of R.S.46:30B-74.

(cf: P.L.2000, c.132, s.2)

���� 4.��� Section 3 of P.L.2000,
c.132 (C.48:2-29.40) is amended to read as follows:

���� 3.��� The Statewide
nonprofit
[
energy
]

public
utility
assistance organization receiving such funding from the State
shall utilize the funds to provide temporary financial assistance to
residential customers having short-term difficulties paying their
[
energy
]

electric,
gas, or water public utility
bills after such customers have exhausted
all other available
[
energy
]

public
utility
assistance resources.� The organization shall develop and file
with the Board of Public Utilities the eligibility criteria for customers to
receive
[
energy
]

public
utility
assistance grants. �The organization shall also file annually
with the Board of Public Utilities and the Legislature a detailed report on the
use of the funds received from the State and the number of recipients and
amount of
[
energy
]

public
utility
assistance grants.

(cf: P.L.2000, c.132, s.3)

���� 5.��� Section 4 of P.L.2000,
c.132 (C.48:2-29.41) is amended to read as follows:

���� 4.��� The Board of Public
Utilities is authorized to promulgate, pursuant to
[
law, such
]

the
�Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.),
rules
and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the
[
purpose
]

purposes

of
[
this
act
]

P.L.2000,
c.132 (C.48:2-29.38 et al.)
.

(cf: P.L.2000, c.132, s.4)

����� 6.�� R.S.46:30B-74
is amended to read as follows:

����� 46:30B-74.
The administrator shall establish and manage four separate trust funds to be
known as the Unclaimed County Deposits Trust Fund, the Unclaimed Child Support
Trust Fund, the Unclaimed Utility Deposits Trust Fund
,
and the Unclaimed
Personal Property Trust Fund.

����� a.�� All

[
moneys
]

monies
received as unclaimed county deposits
and the accretions thereon shall be deposited into the Unclaimed County
Deposits Trust Fund.� Each year, unless the administrator deems it prudent and
advisable to do otherwise, the administrator shall pay to each county, within
45 days of the receipt of such funds,
[
75%
]

75 percent
of the unclaimed county deposits
received from that county by the administrator.� The remaining portion shall be
retained in the trust fund, administered and invested by the State Treasurer,
and used to pay claims duly presented and allowed and all expenses and costs
incurred by the State of New Jersey.� If the Unclaimed County Deposits Trust
Fund is insufficient to pay specific claims against a county, the administrator
shall report the fact to the county governing body and the unpaid claim shall
become an affirmative obligation of that county.

����� Upon
the effective date of
[
this act
]

P.L.1992, c.173
, any county deposits paid to
the administrator between April 18, 1989 and the effective date of
[
this act
]

P.L.1992,
c.173
shall be transferred from the Unclaimed Personal Property Trust Fund
to the Unclaimed County Deposits Trust Fund.

����� b.��
(1)

All
[
moneys
]

monies
received in unclaimed property
deposits from electric
[
and
]
,
gas
,
and water public
utilities shall be deposited into the Unclaimed Utility
Deposits Trust Fund.� Each year, unless the administrator deems it prudent and
advisable to do otherwise, the administrator shall pay to
[
the New Jersey Statewide Heating Assistance and
Referral for Energy Services (SHARES) nonprofit corporation, or to another
]

a
Statewide nonprofit
[
energy
]

public
utility
assistance organization designated by the Board of Public Utilities
within 45 days of the receipt of such funds,
[
75%
]

75 percent

of the unclaimed
[
utility
]

property
deposits
[
received
]
from
[
each of the
]
electric
[
and
]
,
gas
, and water public
utilities
received

by the administrator.� Such payments received from the administrator shall be
used exclusively for the payment of expenses associated with the restoration of
electric
[
or
]
,
gas
,
or water public utility
service, or to prevent the termination of electric
[
or
]
,
gas
, or water public utility
service
provided to
electric, gas, or water public
utility ratepayers seeking
assistance from
[
New Jersey
SHARES, or an equivalent
]

a
Statewide
nonprofit
[
energy
]

public utility
assistance organization
[
designated by the Board of Public Utilities
]

designated by the Board of Public Utilities
.�
The remaining portion shall be retained in the trust fund, administered and
invested by the State Treasurer, and used to pay claims duly presented and
allowed and all expenses and costs incurred by the State of New Jersey.

�����
(2)
�
Upon the effective date of P.L.2000, c.132 (C.48:2-29.38 et al.), any unclaimed

property
deposits
[
held by
]

from
electric
,

[
and
]
,
gas
, and water public
utilities paid to the
administrator between July 1, 1998 and the effective date of
[
this act
]

P.L.2000,
c.132 (C.48:2-29.38 et al.)
shall be transferred from the Unclaimed
Personal Property Trust Fund to the Unclaimed Utility Deposits Trust Fund.

�����
(3)�
Within 10 months after the administrator has completed the disbursement of
grant monies to a Statewide nonprofit public utility assistance organization
designated by the Board of Public Utilities pursuant to this subsection, and
annually thereafter, the Statewide nonprofit public utility assistance
organization shall issue a report to the Board of Public Utilities, which shall
provide:

�����
(a) the
number of applicants applying for household electric, gas, and water public
utility assistance grants;

�����
(b) the
number of households receiving electric, gas, and water public utility
assistance grants;

�����
(c) the
average amount of assistance provided to households;

�����
(d) the
average gross income of households receiving assistance;

�����
(e) the
methods and procedures used for the verification of household income or
hardship; and

�����
(f)� any
other information as required by the board.

�����
The
Board of Public Utilities shall thereupon submit the report to the Governor
and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the
Legislature.

����� c.�� All
other
[
moneys
]

monies
received as unclaimed property
presumed abandoned, the accretions thereon, and the proceeds of sale of
unclaimed property shall be deposited into the Unclaimed Personal Property
Trust Fund.� Unless the administrator deems it prudent and advisable to do otherwise,

[
75%
]

75 percent
of all funds received shall be
transferred to the General State Fund.� The remaining portion shall be retained
in the trust fund, administered and invested by the State Treasurer, and used
to pay claims duly presented and allowed and all expenses and costs incurred by
the State of New Jersey.

����� Upon
the effective date of
[
this act
]

the �Uniform Unclaimed Property Act,�
R.S.46:30B-1 et seq.
, all funds and assets of the trust funds established
pursuant to N.J.S.2A:37-41, section 8 of P.L.1945, c.199 (C.17:9-25), and
N.J.S.17B:31-7, shall be transferred to and become part of the Unclaimed
Personal Property Trust Fund established by
[
this act
]

R.S.46:30B-1
et seq.
, which shall be responsible for payment of any allowed claims for
restitution of unclaimed property paid into those three funds.

����� d.�� All

[
moneys
]

monies
received as abandoned child support
and the accretions thereon shall be deposited in the Unclaimed Child Support
Trust Fund.� Each year, the administrator shall pay to the judiciary, within 45
days of the receipt of such funds, the federal government�s Title IV-D share of
the abandoned child support received from the Probation Division of the
Superior Court.� The remaining portions shall be retained in the trust fund,
administered and invested by the State Treasurer, and used to pay claims duly
presented and allowed and all expenses and costs incurred by the State of New
Jersey.� If the Unclaimed Child Support Trust Fund is insufficient to pay
specific claims against a county, the administrator shall report the fact to
the judiciary and the unpaid claim shall become an affirmative obligation of
the judiciary.

����� Upon
the effective date of P.L.1995, c.115, any abandoned child support paid to the
administrator between April 18, 1989 and that effective date shall be
transferred from the Unclaimed Personal Property Trust Fund to the Unclaimed
Child Support Trust Fund.

����� e.�� As
used in this section:

�����
�Abandoned
child support� means any payments for the support of a child or a child and the
custodial parent paid to the Probation Division of the Superior Court pursuant
to a court order that could not be distributed to the payee or returned to the
payor within one year of its receipt.

�����
[
(1)
]
�County
deposits� means the proceeds of a judgment received in favor of a minor and
placed under the control of a county surrogate or any devise or distribution
from an estate paid into the county surrogate's court prior to April 14, 1989;
any unclaimed bail and any interest thereon deposited prior to January 1, 1995
and
[
50%
]

50 percent
of any unclaimed bail and any
interest thereon deposited after January 1, 1995
[
;
]
.

�����
[
(2)

�Abandoned
child support� means any payments for the support of a child or a child and the
custodial parent paid to the Probation Division of the Superior Court pursuant
to a court order that could not be distributed to the payee or returned to the
payor within one year of its receipt;

����� (3)
�Title IV-D� means Part D, �Child Support and Establishment of Paternity,� of
subchapter IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) under which
states receive partial federal reimbursement of their administrative expenses
for establishing paternity and collecting child support;

����� (4)
�Unclaimed property deposits from electric and gas utilities� means any
unclaimed deposits held by electric and gas utilities in accordance with the
requirements of R.S.46:30B-29 and any unclaimed stock and dividends of electric

and gas utilities in accordance with the
requirements of R.S.46:30B-31 and any unclaimed wages of electric and gas
utilities in accordance with the requirements of R.S.46:30B-44 and any other
unclaimed property of electric and

gas utilities
in accordance with the requirements of R.S.46:30B-7.
]

�����
�Qualified
ratepayers� means electric, gas, and water public utility ratepayers meeting
certain income requirements as established by the board.

�����
�Statewide
nonprofit public utility assistance organization� means a nonprofit
organization providing electric, gas, and water public utility payment
assistance to qualified ratepayers and having:

�����
(1) a
network of no less than 200 partner organizations that collectively have a
physical presence in every county in this State, providing secure online or
in-person grant application access;

�����
(2) a
board of directors comprised of not less than five electric, gas, or water
public utility representatives; and

�����
(3) an
on-site customer service call center providing access to assistance offered in
a minimum of 150 languages
.

�����
�Title
IV-D� means Part D, �Child Support and Establishment of Paternity,� of
subchapter IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. s. 651 et seq.) under which
states receive partial federal reimbursement of their administrative expenses
for establishing paternity and collecting child support.

�����
�Unclaimed
property deposits from electric, gas, and water public utilities� means any
unclaimed deposits held by electric, gas, and water public utilities in
accordance with the requirements of R.S.46:30B-29, any unclaimed stock and
dividends of electric, gas, and water public utilities in accordance with the
requirements of R.S.46:30B-31, any unclaimed wages of electric, gas, and water
public utilities in accordance with the requirements of R.S.46:30B-44, and any
other unclaimed property of electric, gas, and water public utilities in
accordance with the requirements of R.S.46:30B-7.

(cf:
P.L.2000, c.132, s.5)

����� 7.�� (New
section)� a.� Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary of section 12 of
P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-60) or any law, rule, regulation, or order adopted
pursuant thereto, in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2025, the Board of
Public Utilities shall, from available balances accumulated in accounts of the
board from funds collected through the societal benefits charge imposed
pursuant to that section, allocate $25,000,000 to fund the issuance of grants
to help pay the electric, gas, and water public utility bills of households
seeking temporary assistance from a Statewide nonprofit public utility
assistance organization with:

����� (1) a
network of no less than 200 partner organizations that collectively have a
physical presence in every county in this State, providing secure online or
in-person grant application access;

����� (2) a
board of directors comprised of not less than five electric, gas, or water
public utility representatives; and

����� (3) an
on-site customer service call center providing access to assistance offered in
a minimum of 150 languages.

����� b.�� Within
one year after the board has completed the disbursement of grant monies to a
Statewide nonprofit public utility assistance organization as required under
this section, the Statewide nonprofit public utility assistance organization
shall issue a report to the board, which shall provide:

����� (1) the
number of applicants applying for household electric, gas, and water public
utility assistance grants;

����� (2) the
number of households receiving electric, gas, and water public utility
assistance grants;

����� (3) the
average amount of assistance provided to households;

����� (4) the
average gross income of households receiving assistance;

����� (5) the
methods and procedures used for the verification of household income or
hardship; and

����� (6) any
other information as required by the board.

����� c.�� The
board shall thereupon submit the report to the Governor and, pursuant to
section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature.

����� 8.�� Sections
1 through 5 of this act shall take effect immediately but shall not be
construed to impair any vested right or obligation under any contract entered
into prior to the date of enactment.� Section 6 of this act shall take effect
immediately but shall remain inoperative for 60 days following the date of
enactment.� Section 7 of this act shall take effect on July 1, 2025 and shall
expire on the 30th day following submission to the Governor and the Legislature
of the report required to be issued pursuant to section 7 of this act.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires unclaimed
property deposits from an electric, gas, or water public utility (utility) in
the Unclaimed Utility Deposits Trust Fund (trust fund) to be paid to a
Statewide nonprofit public utility assistance organization (assistance
organization) meeting certain criteria.� Under the bill, in order to be
eligible to receive trust fund monies, an assistance organization designated by
the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) is required to have: �(1) a network of no
less than 200 partner organizations that collectively have a physical presence
in every county in this State, providing secure online or in-person grant
application access; (2) a board of directors comprised of not less than five
utility representatives; and (3) an on-site customer service call center
providing access to assistance offered in a minimum of 150 languages.� Within
10 months after the trust fund administrator disburses grant monies to the
assistance organization designated by the BPU, and annually thereafter, the
assistance organization is to issue a report to the BPU providing the number of
applicants applying for household utility assistance grants, the number of
households receiving utility assistance grants, the average amount of
assistance provided to households, the average gross income of households
receiving assistance, the methods and procedures used for the verification of
household income or hardship, and any other information the BPU requires.

���� Further, the bill provides
that for the State fiscal year starting on July 1, 2025, the BPU is to dedicate
$25 million from available balances collected through the societal benefits
charge to provide grants to help pay the utility bills of households seeking
temporary assistance from an assistance organization having the same qualifications
required for payments of the trust fund as described above.� Within one year
after the BPU completes the disbursement of grant monies to the assistance
organization, the assistance organization is to issue a report to the BPU
providing the same information, as is also required in the annual report
required for the receipt of payments from the trust fund as described above.