Re-locates certain energy incentive and all utility assistance programs to new Office of Energy Management; establishes common application platform for utility assistance programs.

A4521

ASSEMBLY, No. 4521

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 9, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Re-locates certain energy incentive and all utility
assistance programs to new Office of Energy Management; establishes common
application platform for utility assistance programs.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning energy incentive and utility
assistance 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.��� As used in
P.L. , c.
(C. ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill):�

���� �Board� means the Board of
Public Utilities.

���� �Director� means the Director
of the Office of Energy Management established pursuant to section 2 of
P.L. , c.
(C. ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill).

���� �Energy incentive program�
means any State program that primarily promotes energy efficiency among
residential, commercial, or industrial entities.

���� �Office� means the Office of
Energy Management established pursuant to section 2 of
P.L. , c.
(C. ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill).

���� �Person� means any person,
including individuals, firms, partnerships, associations, societies, trusts,
public or private corporations, or other legal entities, including public or
governmental bodies, as well as natural persons.

���� �Utility assistance program�
means any State program that offers financial assistance for utility services
to residential customers or otherwise establishes utility protections for
residential customers.

���� 2.��� a.� There is
established, in the Department of the Treasury, the Office of Energy
Management.� The office shall assume responsibility for the administration of
all energy incentive programs and utility assistance programs in the State.

���� b.��� The State Treasurer
shall appoint a Director of the Office of Energy Management, who shall, by
training and experience, be well-versed in energy efficiency, utility
assistance programming, and energy planning and development.� The director
shall be responsible for overseeing the operations of the office under the
direction of the State Treasurer.� The office shall employ professional and
administrative staff as necessary to effectuate the duties and responsibilities
of the office.

���� c.���� In addition to any
other duties and responsibilities that may be prescribed by the State
Treasurer, the office shall:�

���� (1)�� notwithstanding any law,
rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, as is feasible and necessary,
assume responsibility for the administration of all energy incentive programs
administered by the board and utility assistance programs administered by the
board, the Department of Community Affairs, or the Department of Human Services
that are existing at the time of the effective date of
P.L. , c. �
(C. ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill);

���� (2)�� notwithstanding any law,
rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, as is feasible and necessary,
administer any new energy incentive program or utility assistance program that
is established after the effective date of P.L. , c. �
(C. ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill);

���� (3)�� develop and update, as
necessary, the common application platform required pursuant to section 3 of
P.L , c.
(C. ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill);

���� (4)�� provide technical and
information assistance to persons applying for energy incentive programs and
utility assistance programs; and

���� (5)�� coordinate with other
State agencies and federal agencies, as necessary, to facilitate the transfer
of responsibilities for the administration of energy incentive programs and
utility assistance programs from other State agencies to the office.

���� d.��� The State Treasurer
shall, in accordance with the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410
(C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the
provisions of this section, including, but not limited to:�

���� (1)�� identifying the energy
incentive programs and utility assistance programs that shall be transferred to
the Office of Energy Management pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection c. of
this section;

���� (2)�� securing funding for the
operations of the Office of Energy Management; and

���� (3)�� transferring personnel
to the office from other relevant State agencies, which personnel were
primarily responsible for the administration of energy incentive programs or
utility assistance programs, as the State Treasurer deems feasible and
necessary.

���� 3.��� a.� The Office of Energy
Management shall develop, or cause to be developed, a common application
platform through which a person may electronically apply for utility assistance
programs.

���� b.��� In addition to any other
functionalities that the office may deem appropriate, the common application
platform shall, to the extent practicable, allow an applicant to:�

���� (1)�� identify all utility
assistance programs available to New Jersey residents;

���� (2)�� determine eligibility
for each utility assistance program;

���� (3)�� input any information or
documentation that may be required by a State or federal agency as part of the
application for each utility assistance program;

���� (4)�� simultaneously submit
applications for utility assistance programs; and

���� (5)�� monitor the status of
all applications for utility assistance programs submitted through the
platform.

���� c.���� The office shall update
the common application platform, as necessary, to ensure that all information
contained on the platform is up-to-date and accurate.

���� 4.��� The Office of Energy
Management may, in accordance with the �Administrative Procedure Act,�
P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary
to implement the provisions of P.L. ,
c. � (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).

���� 5.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the sixth month next following the date of enactment.�
However, the Department of the Treasury, the board, the Department of Community
Affairs, and the Department of Human Services may take anticipatory action as
necessary to effectuate the bill�s provisions.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes the
Office of Energy Management (office) in the Department of the Treasury and
directs the State Treasurer to appoint a Director of the Office of Energy
Management to oversee the office�s operations.� Under the bill, the office is required
to: �(1) administer all energy incentive programs formerly administered by the
Board of Public Utilities (board) and all utility assistance programs formerly
administered by the board, the Department of Community Affairs, and the
Department of Human Services that exist at the time of the bill�s effective
date as well as all new energy incentive and utility assistance programs that
are established after the bill�s effective date; (2) develop and update, as
necessary, a common application platform for all utility assistance programs;
(3) provide technical and information assistance to persons applying for energy
incentive and utility assistance programs; and (4) coordinate with other State
and federal agencies, as necessary, to facilitate the transfer of responsibilities
for the administration of energy incentive and utility assistance programs from
other State agencies to the office.

���� Under the bill, the common
application platform is required to allow an applicant to: �(1) identify all
utility assistance programs available to New Jersey residents; (2) determine
eligibility for each utility assistance program; (3) input any information or
documentation that may be required by a State or federal agency as part of the
application for each utility assistance program; (4) simultaneously submit
applications for utility assistance programs; and (5) monitor the status of all
applications for utility assistance programs submitted through the platform.

���� The bill defines �energy
incentive program� as any State program that primarily promotes energy
efficiency among residential, commercial, or industrial entities.� In addition,
the bill defines �utility assistance program� as any State program that offers
financial assistance for utility services to residential customers or otherwise
establishes utility protections for residential customers.

���� With this legislation, the
sponsor intends to centralize the administration of the State�s energy
incentive and utility assistance programs and provide one common application
process for utility assistance programs.� By housing these programs in one office,
New Jersey can reduce duplicative administrative costs and provide better
energy and utility services to the public.� In addition, the relocation of
these programs will allow the board more time to focus on its role as the
regulatory entity for public utilities, thereby ensuring that utility customers
within the State receive affordable utility service.