Establishes notice requirements for certain water utilities.

S302 1R

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 302

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes notice requirements for certain water
utilities.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As reported by the Senate Economic Growth Committee
on June 8, 2026, with amendments.

��

An Act

concerning water utility services and
supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes and Title 40A of the New Jersey
Statutes.

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

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

���� �Smart meter� means an
electronic metering device that measures and records utility usage data in
regular intervals on a daily basis and wirelessly transmits this data to a
1
water
1
public
utility for billing and other purposes.

���� �Smart meter customer� or
�customer� means a residential customer of a water public utility whose water
usage is measured using a smart meter.

���� �Water public utility� or
�utility� means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that
provides water to end users within the State.

���� b.��� Each
water public utility that utilizes smart meters shall notify
all smart meter customers by the last day of each month via, at the customer�s
discretion, mail, electronic mail, or text message of the customer�s water
usage.� At a minimum, the notification to smart meter customers shall include:�

���� (1)�� the
cost in dollars of the customer�s water usage for the billing cycle up to the
time at most two days before which the notification is sent; and

���� (2)�� the
amount in gallons of the customer�s water usage for the billing cycle up to the
time at most two days before which the notification is sent.

���� c.���� Each
water public utility that utilizes smart meters shall provide all smart meter
customers with the option to:�

���� (1)�� set
a threshold dollar value for the cost of monthly water usage at which the water
public utility will notify the smart meter customer via the customer�s
selection of mail, electronic mail, or text message that the smart meter
customer has reached the dollar threshold value based on the customer�s water
usage for that month; and

���� (2)�� receive
a separate notice each billing cycle via mail, electronic mail, or text message
that compares the customer�s average daily water usage from that billing cycle
with the customer�s average daily water usage from the previous billing cycle
or from the same billing cycle in the previous calendar year.

���� d.��� (1)
Each water public utility shall make initial contact with all smart meter
customers regarding the notice required pursuant to subsection b. of this
section and the additional notice options available pursuant to subsection c.
of this section through a bill insert sent via mail or electronic mail, which
bill insert or electronic mail shall include, at a minimum, instructions on how
to:�

���� (a)�� sign
up to receive notices from the water public utility pursuant to subsection c.
of this section;

���� (b)�� opt
out of notifications provided pursuant to this section; and

���� (c)�� provide
prior, express consent to receive text message notifications from the water
public utility pursuant to subsection b. and subsection c. of this section.

���� (2)�� A
water public utility shall not contact a smart meter customer via text message
pursuant to subsection b. or subsection c. of this section unless the customer
has provided prior, express consent to receive text messages from the utility
for the purposes of subsection b. and subsection c. of this section, as
appropriate.

���� e.���� Each
water public utility that utilizes smart meters shall include, at a minimum,
the following information in each bill issued to all smart meter customers:�

���� (1)�� the
dollar amount charged to the customer by the water public utility in the
previous billing cycle;

���� (2)�� the
dollar amount charged to the customer by the water public utility in the
current billing cycle;

���� (3)�� the
difference between the amount charged in the previous billing cycle and the
current billing cycle; and

���� (4)�� any
tariffs, fees, or taxes assessed to the customer in the current billing cycle.

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

���� �Local authority� means an
authority, as defined in section 3 of P.L.1983, c.313 (C.40A:5A-3), or a water
district established pursuant to R.S.40:62-96 et seq. that provides water
service.

���� �Municipal utility� means a
municipal public utility, as defined in N.J.S.40A:1-1, that provides water
service.

���� �Smart meter� means an
electronic metering device that measures and records utility usage data in
regular intervals on a daily basis and wirelessly transmits this data to a
1
[
public utility
]

local
authority or municipal utility
1

for billing and other purposes.

���� �Smart meter customer� or
�customer� means a residential customer of a
1
[
water public utility
]

local
authority or municipal utility
1

whose water usage is measured using a smart meter.

���� b.��� Each
local authority and each municipal utility that utilizes
smart meters shall notify all smart meter customers by the last day of each
month via, at the customer�s discretion, mail, electronic mail, or text message
of the customer�s water usage.� At a minimum, the notification to smart meter
customers shall include:�

���� (1)�� the
cost in dollars of the customer�s water usage for the billing cycle up to the
time at most two days before which the notification is sent; and

���� (2)�� the
amount in gallons of the customer�s water usage for the billing cycle up to the
time at most two days before which the notification is sent.

���� c.���� Each
local authority and each municipal utility that utilizes smart meters shall
provide all smart meter customers with the option to:�

���� (1)�� set
a threshold dollar value for the cost of monthly water usage at which the local
authority or municipal utility will notify the smart meter customer via the
customer�s selection of mail, electronic mail, or text message that the smart
meter customer has reached the dollar threshold value based on the customer�s
water usage for that month; and

���� (2)�� receive
a separate notice each billing cycle via mail, electronic mail, or text message
that compares the customer�s average daily water usage from that billing cycle
with the customer�s average daily water usage from the previous billing cycle
or from the same billing cycle in the previous calendar year.

���� d.��� (1)
Each local authority and each municipal utility shall make initial contact with
all smart meter customers regarding the notice required pursuant to subsection
b. of this section and the additional notice options available pursuant to
subsection c. of this section through a bill insert sent via mail or electronic
mail, which bill insert or electronic mail shall include, at a minimum,
instructions on how to:�

���� (a)�� sign
up to receive notices from the local authority or municipal utility pursuant to
subsection c. of this section;

���� (b)�� opt
out of notifications provided pursuant to this section; and

���� (c)�� provide
prior, express consent to receive text message notifications from the local
authority or municipal utility pursuant to subsection b. and subsection c. of
this section.

���� (2)�� A
local authority or municipal utility shall not contact a smart meter customer
via text message pursuant to subsection b. or subsection c. of this section
unless the customer has provided prior, express consent to receive text
messages from the local authority or municipal utility for the purposes of
subsection b. and subsection c. of this section, as appropriate.

���� e.���� Each
local authority and each municipal utility that utilizes smart meters shall
include, at a minimum, the following information in each bill issued to all
smart meter customers:

���� (1)�� the
dollar amount charged to the customer by the local authority or municipal
utility in the previous billing cycle;

���� (2)�� the
dollar amount charged to the customer by the local authority or municipal
utility in the current billing cycle;

���� (3)�� the
difference between the amount charged in the previous billing cycle and the
current billing cycle; and

���� (4)�� any
tariffs, fees, or taxes assessed to the customer in the current billing cycle.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect on the 90th day after the date of enactment.