Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, long-standing member of the NYS Assembly Committee on Energy, announced that his bill to ensure residents can heat their homes in times of emergency has passed both in the Assembly and Senate this legislative session. The bill he authored will allow residents who use propane to heat their homes to receive emergency deliveries from any supplier during times of an emergency, urgent need and periods of high demand, regardless of customer status (A.1451-A).  

“Those who rely on propane to heat their homes, unfortunately, have been met with delayed or missed deliveries during some of the coldest winter months – sometimes waiting weeks for a scheduled delivery to arrive,” said Santabarbara. “When temperatures drop dangerously low, these propane deliveries are crucial for local families. This bill will ensure they don’t have to rely on a single company during times of emergency.” 

Santabarbara first introduced the bill a few years ago after a spike in delayed and missed deliveries left many local residents without heat. Those delays continued through the pandemic and into last winter. This year, the bill was passed in both houses of the legislature for the first time and is expected to head to the Governor’s desk soon. 

Customers who lease propane tanks are limited to using a single supplier when re-ordering fuel. However, during periods of high demand or during severe storms or other catastrophic events, these customers can find themselves at the mercy of their provider’s schedule. This legislation would allow any of these homeowners to re-order from an alternate supplier when their contracted suppliers cannot meet their request for a gas delivery during times of emergency. 

“No one deserves to be left in the cold because their propane supplier was unable to make a delivery, especially when there are companies that provide emergency propane services,” said Santabarbara. “By allowing all homeowners who use propane to receive emergency deliveries from an alternate supplier, we can help ensure that bureaucratic red tape doesn’t prevent local families from staying warm.”