Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara announced that legislation he co-sponsored to address regulatory gaps enabling monopolistic utility companies to overcharge customers for their services has passed in the Assembly (A.4055). The state Senate passed the bill earlier this month and it is now on its way to the governor’s desk. This bill states that no utility corporation or municipality may charge a residential customer for gas or electric services that were rendered more than 2 months prior and also requires that the utility company provide the monthly usage and the monthly billing charges for the past two years at the same address.

“Our families rely on utility companies to deliver reliable power to our homes, but some service providers have unfortunately been taking advantage of households who may already be struggling to make ends meet,” said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, long-standing member of the State Assembly’s Energy Committee. “A recent state investigation uncovered troubling hedging practices, poor billing systems and lack of accountability at utility companies. These poor practices have gouged hardworking families and caused unnecessary headaches. This legislation will bolster transparency around gas and electric billing, as well as ensure customers are not overcharged for these essential services.”

Earlier this year, the state Senate Investigations and Government Operations Committee released a report detailing the results of its nine-month investigation into New York’s leading utility companies, private and public. [1] The committee’s findings also supported what the state Public Service Commission report released a few weeks prior to it. [2]

FULL REPORT HERE: https://www.scribd.com/document/614662632/Public-Service-Investigation-report-on-Central-Hudson

Santabarbara noted that back-billing — companies charging households for several months of service at a time with little to no explanation resulting in thousands of dollars owed in one bill and customers unfairly facing termination of services — is one of the most damaging practices used by energy providers.

[1] timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/State-Senate-issues-report-on-utility-pricing-17696236.php

[2] timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/PSC-meeting-on-Central-Hudson-17653748.php