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A4717
ASSEMBLY, No. 4717
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MARCH 16, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires BPU to prohibit electric and gas public
utilities from charging residential customers certain types of payments based
on certain billing practices.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning certain utility billing practices 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 any successor agency.
���� �
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.
���� �Equal payment plan� means a utility billing
procedure implemented by an electric public utility or gas public utility that
forecasts a customer�s yearly utility usage, charges the customer in equal
monthly installments, and periodically reviews the customer�s actual utility
usage.
����
�Estimated meter bill� means
a residential customer utility bill
that is based on
prior usage information or predictive modeling instead of
the customer�s actual usage.�
�
Estimated meter bill� shall
not include an electric
public utility or gas public utility bill under
an equal payment plan.
����
�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.
���� �Lump-sum payment� means a
payment charged by an electric public utility or gas public utility to a
customer under an equal payment plan when the customer�s actual yearly usage
exceeds the forecasted
yearly
utility usage.
���� �Underbilling� means
a utility billing procedure
implemented by an electric public utility or gas public utility where a
customer is charged based on the difference between the customer�s estimated
meter bill
and
a later-obtained actual meter reading.
���� b.���
Notwithstanding any law,
rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, the board shall require each
electric public utility and gas public utility to offer an equal payment plan
for residential customers.� The equal payment plans offered by each electric public
utility and gas public utility shall not charge lump-sum payments to
residential customers and shall not allow the electric public utility or gas
public utility to recover any outstanding balance due based on
the difference between a
c
ustomer�s
actual yearly usage and any forecasted
yearly utility usage.� Any increase to a residential
customer�s monthly bill under an equal payment plan offered by an electric
public utility or gas public utility shall be made annually based only on that
residential customer�s utility usage data.� The board shall not approve an
electric public utility or gas public utility�s request to recover the cost of
offering an equal payment plan through rates charged to ratepayers after the
effective date of P.L.
, c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).
���� c.���� Notwithstanding any law, rule,
regulation, or order to the contrary, the board shall prohibit each electric
public utility and gas
public utility from underbilling residential
customers.� The board shall further prohibit each electric public utility and
gas public utility from incorporating any outstanding balance due based on
the difference
between a customer�s estimated meter bill and a later-obtained actual meter
reading into that customer�s future utility bills.
����
d
.���
The
board shall adopt, pursuant to the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968,
c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as may be necessary to
implement the provisions of this section.
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� Certain electric and gas
public utilities offer equal payment plans that average a customer�s estimated
energy usage over 12 months to provide consistent billing.� Customers may face
lump-sum payments if actual usage exceeds the estimate.� This bill requires the
Board of Public Utilities (board) to require each electric public utility and
gas public utility to offer an equal payment plan for residential customers.�
This bill prohibits electric and gas public utilities from:� (1) charging
lump-sum payments under equal payment plans; (2) recovering
any outstanding balance due
based on the difference
between a residential customer�s
actual
yearly usage and any forecasted
yearly utility usage; and (3) increasing a
residential
customer�s monthly bill under an equal payment plan except annually,
based only on that customer�s utility usage data.
����
Further, separate from
equal payment plans, at certain times electric and gas public utilities
may charge customers using estimated meter bills, which
are
based on prior usage
information or predictive modeling instead of the customers� actual usage.�
When a customer�s estimated meter bill is lower than a later-obtained meter
reading, the
electric and gas public utility may bill the
customer for the difference in a
utility billing procedure known as underbilling.�
This bill also
prohibits
electric and gas public utilities from
underbilling and further
prohibits
electric public utilities and gas public utilities from incorporating any
outstanding balance due based on
the difference between a customer�s estimated meter
bill and a later-obtained actual meter reading into that customer�s future
utility bills.
���� It is the sponsor�s intent
that this bill provides a crucial step in addressing economic hardships and
promoting fair electric public utility and gas public utility pricing.� New
Jersey families, individuals, and businesses deserve reliable, affordable energy
without facing undue financial strain.��
���� The board approved an increase
in electricity rates, which were effective in June 2025.� According to the
board, this increase will raise electricity bills by approximately 17 to 20
percent.� Electricity and gas are not luxuries; they are essential services
powering homes, schools, medical devices, and transportation.� As the cost of
living continues to rise and many wages stagnate, New Jersey residents need
protection from utility rate increases, which exacerbate the effects of
inflation on consumers.� It is the sponsor�s intent that this bill will
safeguard ratepayers by implementing regulatory measures that promote fairness
and transparency in pricing.