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A5078
ASSEMBLY, No. 5078
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MAY 14, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires certain customer identification to be
presented to electric power or gas supplier if customer switches services.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning certain residential electric and gas
services and amending P.L.2015, c.291.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.2015,
c.291 (C.48:3-98.5) is amended to read as follows:
���� 1.��� a.
(1)
A customer
shall be permitted to switch between an electric power supplier and a basic
generation service provider or between electric power suppliers, provided the
electric public utility receives an electronic enrollment notice from the
electric power supplier no later than 20 days prior to the next scheduled meter
reading date for the switch to be effective on that date.� A switch between an
electric power supplier and a basic generation service provider, or between
electric power suppliers, shall become effective on the customer's scheduled
meter reading date, which shall occur at least monthly for the purpose of
enabling customers to switch suppliers.� The board may establish a shorter
timeframe for switching between an electric power supplier and a basic
generation service provider, or between electric power suppliers.
����
(2)�� If a residential
customer elects to switch between an electric power supplier and a basic
generation service provider or between electric power suppliers, as permitted
under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the residential customer shall provide
to the electric power supplier:
����
(a)�� government-issued
photo identification; or
����
(b)�� government-issued
non-photo identification accompanied by a secondary method of identification,
including, but not limited to, a telephone number in the customer�s name, a
current utility bill, bank statement, government check or pay check, or a
credit or automatic teller machine card displaying the person�s name.
����
The electric power supplier
shall attest to the electric public utility that identification authorized by
this paragraph was provided along with the residential customer�s service
address.� An electric power supplier shall not require a residential customer
to provide an electric public utility account number or point of delivery
identification number if the customer provided a form of identification
authorized by this paragraph.� A residential customer shall not switch between
an electric power supplier and a basic generation service provider or between
electric power suppliers without providing a written or electronic signature
authorizing the switch pursuant to consumer protection standards for electric
power suppliers under law or regulation.
���� b.���
(1)
A customer
shall be permitted to switch between a gas supplier and gas public utility or
between gas suppliers, provided the gas public utility receives an electronic
enrollment notice from a gas supplier on or before the first business day of
the month for a switch to be effective on the following month's scheduled meter
reading date.� A switch between a gas supplier and gas public utility, or
between gas suppliers, shall become effective on the customer's scheduled meter
reading date, which shall occur at least monthly for the purpose of enabling
customers to switch suppliers.� The board may establish a shorter timeframe for
switching between a gas supplier and a gas public utility, or between gas
suppliers.
����
(2)�� If a residential
customer elects to switch between gas supplier and a gas public utility or
between gas suppliers, as permitted under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the
residential customer shall provide to the gas supplier:
����
(a)�� government-issued
photo identification; or
����
(b)�� government-issued
non-photo identification accompanied by a secondary method of identification,
including, but not limited to, a telephone number in the customer�s name, a
current utility bill, bank statement, government check or pay check, or a
credit or automatic teller machine card displaying the person�s name.
����
The gas supplier shall
attest to the gas public utility that identification authorized by this
paragraph was provided along with the residential customer�s service address.� The
gas power supplier shall not require a residential customer to provide a gas
public utility account number or point of delivery identification number if the
customer provided a form of identification authorized by this paragraph.� A
residential customer shall not switch between a gas supplier and a gas public
utility or between gas suppliers without providing a written or electronic
signature authorizing the switch pursuant to consumer protection standards for
electric power suppliers under law or regulation.
����
c.���� Nothing in this
section shall preclude a basic generation service provider, electric power
supplier, gas public utility, or gas supplier from utilizing any methods
allowing a customer to switch electric power suppliers or gas suppliers.
(cf: P.L.2015, c.291, s.1)
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the 60th day after the date of enactment and shall apply to contracts
formed or renewed on or after the effective date of this act.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires that a
residential customer who consents to switching between an electric power
supplier and a basic generation service provider or between electric power
suppliers, or a residential customer who switches between a gas supplier and a
gas public utility or between gas suppliers, is to do so by providing either
government-issued photo identification or government issued non-photo
identification accompanied by a secondary method of identification.� Under the
bill, a secondary method of identification would include, but not be limited
to, a telephone number in the customer�s name, a current utility bill, bank
statement, government check or pay check, or a credit or automatic teller
machine card displaying the person�s name.� The electric power supplier and gas
supplier are to attest to the appropriate public utility that identification
authorized by the bill was provided along with the residential customer�s
service address.� A residential customer is not to be required to provide an
electric or gas public utility account number or point of delivery
identification number if a form of authorized identification was provided.� The
bill prohibits a residential customer from switching between these suppliers,
providers, and utilities without providing a written or electronic signature
authorizing the switch.
���� The bill does not prohibit an
electric power supplier, basic generation service provider, gas public utility,
or gas supplier from utilizing any methods allowing a customer to switch
electric power suppliers or gas suppliers.