New Jersey A 4967: Establishes bill credit for certain utility customers, eliminates societal benefits charge, and concerns certain rate treatment and utility charges.

Bill Text

A4967 

ASSEMBLY, No. 4967 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED MAY 7, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� JOHN DIMAIO

District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes bill credit for certain utility 
customers, eliminates societal benefits charge, and concerns certain rate 
treatment and utility charges. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning public utility charges and credits, 
supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes, and revising various parts of 
the statutory law.

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

���� 1.��� (New section) a.� As 
used in this section:� 

���� �Board� means the New Jersey 
Board of Public Utilities or its successor.

���� �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.

���� �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.

���� �Lost revenue conservation 
incentive program� means an 
incentive program, established pursuant to section 13 of 
P.L.2007, c.340 (C.48:3-98.1), that provides monies to electric public utilities 
and gas public utilities to account for lost revenue resulting 
from the decrease in utility customer usage of electricity and natural gas due 
to customer participation in energy efficiency programs and peak demand 
reduction programs.

���� �Residential universal bill 
credit� means a one-time direct utility bill assistance payment to all 
residential customers of electric public utilities and gas public utilities.

���� �Societal benefits charge� 
means the non-bypassable charge, established pursuant to section 12 of 
P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-60), imposed on all electric public utility customers 
and gas public utility customers.

���� b.��� Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or 
order to the contrary, the board shall not utilize an incentive 
accounting mechanism authorized pursuant to section 13 of P.L.2007, c.340 
(C.48:3-98.1) that creates a lost revenue conservation incentive program.

���� c.���� (1) Notwithstanding any law, rule, 
regulation, or order to the contrary, within 30 days of the 
effective date of P.L. , c. 
(C. ) (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill), each electric public utility and gas public utility shall cease 
collecting the societal benefits charge and shall submit an updated schedule of tariffs 
to the board for approval, which schedule shall reflect any necessary changes 
to an electric public utility�s or gas public utility�s tariffs without the 
imposition of the societal benefits charge.

���� (2)�� Within 60 days of the 
effective date of P.L. , c. 
(C. ) (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill), each electric public utility and gas public utility shall provide to 
the board any monies collected from ratepayers by an electric public utility or 
gas public utility through the societal benefits charge.

���� (3)�� Notwithstanding any law, 
rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, the board shall provide 
a residential universal bill credit, composed of all uncommitted monies 
collected through the societal benefits charge, to all residential customers of 
electric public utilities and gas public utilities within 30 days of the 
board�s receipt of all outstanding monies collected through the societal 
benefits charge pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection.

���� d.��� (1)� Notwithstanding any law, 
rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, any program or incentive funded 
whole or in part by the societal benefits charge prior to the 
effective date of P.L. , c. 
(C. ) (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill) shall be funded by monies made available in the 
annual appropriations act.

���� (2)�� After the effective date 
of P.L. , c. 
(C. ) (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill), the board shall prohibit the collection of monies 
through any ratemaking mechanisms for programs or incentives funded in whole or in part 
by the societal benefits charge prior to the effective date of 
P.L. , c. 
(C. ) (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill).

���� e.���� 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.��� Section 1 of P.L.2022, 
c.86 (C.26:2C-8.58) is amended to read as follows:� 

���� 1.��� a.� No later than six 
months after the effective date of P.L.2022, c.86 (C.26:2C-8.58 et al.), the 
Department of Environmental Protection shall implement a three-year 
"Electric School Bus Program" to determine the operational 
reliability and cost effectiveness of replacing diesel-powered school buses 
with electric school buses for the daily transportation of students.

���� b.��� On or after the date of 
im