Requires public utilities to provide customers notice of request for increase in rates; revises requirements related to hearings on proposed rate increases.

A229

ASSEMBLY, No. 229

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman JOHN V. AZZARITI JR., M.D.

District 39 (Bergen)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires public utilities to provide customers notice
of request for increase in rates; revises requirements related to hearings on
proposed rate increases.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

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

��

An Act
concerning public utility rate requests, amending
P.L.1980, c.179 and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� (New section)� a.� Any
public utility that has filed with the Board of Public Utilities a tariff
filing or petition for an adjustment in existing tariffs which proposes to
increase individual rates, joint rates, tolls, or charges, or schedules
thereof, shall provide notice of any hearing to be held by the board, or by the
Office of Administrative Law, involving such filing or petition.� Such notice
shall be provided at a reasonable time in advance of a hearing or proceeding,
as determined by board rules or regulations, and shall be (1) conspicuously set
forth in a written message that appears as part of or accompanies the bills for
service sent by the public utility to each of its customers, and (2) 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.� A public utility shall provide to customers who are not provided monthly
bills for service, or are provided such bills electronically, the notification
required pursuant to this section via regular mail, or electronically if
applicable, in a manner, consistent with this subsection, to be determined by
board rules or regulations.

���� The requirement of hearing
notice to individual customers under this subsection shall be in addition to
the requirement of hearing notice to municipalities and counties under
subsection c. of section 34 of P.L.1962, c.198 (C.48:2-32.2).
�

���
b.��� For the
purposes of this section, �public utility� means a public utility as defined in
R.S.48:2-13, providing gas, electric, water, or sewer service.

���
2.��� Section 1
of P.L.1980, c.179 (C.48:2-32.4) is amended to read

as follows:�

���� 1.���
a.
�
Prior to granting a public utility a proposed adjustment which would result in
an increase in individual rates, joint rates, tolls, charges or schedules
thereof, the Board of Public Utilities or the Office of Administrative Law
shall hold at least one public hearing in the municipality affected by the
proposed adjustment.� If more than one municipality is located in the service
area affected by the proposed adjustment, the public hearing shall be held in
[
a centrally located
]

the

municipality
having the largest population
in the affected service
area.�
If the municipalities of more than one county are affected by the
proposed adjustment, the public hearing shall be held in the municipality of
each county having the largest population of any municipality in that county.
�
Notice of any such hearing shall be furnished in the manner provided for
notices generally pursuant to subsections c. and d. of section 34 of P.L.1962,
c.198 (C.48:2-32.2).� In the case of a hearing held by the Office of
Administrative Law, proof of service of notice by a public utility shall be
furnished to that office.

����
b.��� The
Board of Public Utilities or the Office of Administrative Law shall receive the
public�s questions and comments concerning the proposed adjustment during the
public hearing conducted pursuant to subsection a. of this section, during any
hearing conducted pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1983, c.454 (C.48:2-32.6).� The
public utility proposing the adjustment, and the Board of Public Utilities
shall make reasonable efforts to address the questions and comments received
from the public at any such hearing.

(cf:
P.L.1985, c.203, s.2)

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� 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.�