Requires electric public utilities and gas public utilities to implement or maintain public utility warranty programs that cover full cost to repair or replace covered appliances.

A2234

ASSEMBLY, No. 2234

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires electric public utilities and gas public
utilities to implement or maintain public utility warranty programs that cover
full cost to repair or replace covered appliances.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

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

��

An Act
concerning public utility warranty programs and
supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� a.� As used in this
section:�

���� �Board� means the New Jersey
Board of Public Utilities or a successor agency.

���� �Covered appliance� means an
appliance covered under a public utility warranty program, and includes, but is
not limited to:� furnaces, water heaters, solar panels, HVAC systems, heat
pumps, refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, grills,
gas fireplaces, and space heaters.

����
�
Electric public utility�
means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that transmits
and distributes electricity to end users within the State
.

����
�Gas public utility� means

a public utility, as that term is defined in
R.S.48:2-13, that distributes gas to end users within the State.

���� �HVAC� means heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning.

���� �Public utility warranty
program� or �program� means a contract between a public utility, as that term
is defined in R.S.48:2-13, and an individual, wherein the public utility agrees
to repair or replace a covered appliance.

���� b.���
Notwithstanding any law,
rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, an electric public utility or gas
public utility shall implement or maintain a public utility warranty program
.�

All contracts for public utility warranty programs shall provide
coverage for the full cost to repair or replace covered appliances.

���� c.���� An electric public
utility or gas public utility that maintains a public utility warranty program
shall notify its customers of the program via bill insert every billing cycle
for one year following the effective date of P.L. , c.
(C. ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill), which notice shall:�

���� (1)�� inform customers, using
plain language and visual design, of the elements of the public utility
warranty program, including customers� rights under the program; and

���� (2)�� inform customers already
party to a contract under a public utility warranty program of how the new
program differs from the existing program and how customers can terminate an
existing contract and enroll in the new public utility warranty program.

���� d.� The board shall not
approve a request of an electric public utility or a gas public utility to
recover the cost to implement a public utility warranty program pursuant to
this section through the rates charged to an electric public utility or a gas public
utility customer.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the third month next following enactment and shall
apply to all contracts entered into on or after the effective date of this act.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires electric
public utilities and gas public utilities to implement or maintain public
utility warranty programs that cover the full cost to repair or replace covered
appliances.� Under the bill, a �covered appliance� includes, but is not limited
to:� furnaces, water heaters, HVAC systems, refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers,
washing machines, dryers, grills, gas fireplaces, and space heaters.

���� The bill also requires
electric public utilities and gas public utilities to advertise their public
utility warranty program in a bill insert to its customers every billing cycle
for one year following the effective date of the bill.