New Jersey S 1613: Prohibits certain electric public utility rate increases and requires certain protections for ratepayers.

Bill Text

S1613 

SENATE, No. 1613 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator CARMEN F. AMATO, JR.

District 9 (Ocean)

Senator JAMES W. HOLZAPFEL

District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Prohibits certain electric public utility rate 
increases and requires certain protections for ratepayers.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

�� 

An Act concerning electric public utility service and 
supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� For the purposes of P.L. , 
c. (C. ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill):

���� �Board� means the Board of 
Public Utilities.

���� �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.

���� �Smart meter� means an 
electric metering device that employs smart meter technology to measure, 
record, and transmit electricity usage data to both a public utility and a 
customer for billing and other purposes.� �Smart meter� shall include a basic 
hourly interval meter, a meter with one-way communication, and a real-time 
meter with built-in, two-way communication capable of recording and 
transmitting instantaneous electricity usage data.

���� 2.��� Notwithstanding any law, 
rule, or regulation to the contrary, an electric public utility shall not 
increase the rate charged to ratepayers after the effective date of 
P.L. , 
c. (C. ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill) for the purpose of recovering the 
cost of installing smart meters.

���� 3.��� a. On the date 30 days 
prior to, and until 30 days after, the effective date of any electric public 
utility rate increase, an electric public utility shall publish the following 
information on its Internet website and in any customer communication, including, 
but not limited to, a paper or electronic bill:

���� (1)�� the amount and effective 
date of the rate increase;

���� (2)�� the reasons for the rate 
increase;

���� (3)�� an explanation of any 
anticipated impact on ratepayer bills, including, but not limited to, a clear 
statement of the percentage by which ratepayer bills are expected to increase; 
and

���� (4)�� information on how 
ratepayers can provide feedback on the impact of or file a complaint concerning 
the rate increase.

���� b.��� If the board finds that 
an electric public utility violated subsection a. of this section, the board 
may impose a fine of up to $10,000 against the electric public utility.

���� 4.��� An electric public 
utility shall:

���� a.���� report to the federal 
Department of Energy any rate increase expected to result in an average 
increase of five percent or greater of ratepayer bills, no less than 60 days 
prior to the effective date of the rate increase.� Within its report to the 
Department of Energy, pursuant to this subsection, an electric public utility 
shall include the following information:

���� (1)�� the amount and effective 
date of the rate increase;

���� (2)�� the reasons for the rate 
increase;

���� (3)�� an explanation of any 
anticipated impact on ratepayer bills, including, but not limited to, a clear 
statement of the percentage by which ratepayer bills are expected to increase; 
and

���� (4)�� any measures the 
electric public utility may take to mitigate the rate increase�s impact on 
ratepayer bills; and

���� b.��� provide to the federal 
Department of Energy an annual report on:

���� (1)�� any trends in the 
duration, location, and cause of an electric public utility�s electric service 
interruptions, including, but not limited to, a summary of electric service 
interruptions during the preceding calendar year; and

���� (2)�� any trends in overdue 
bills from an electric public utility�s ratepayers during the preceding 
calendar year.

���� 5.��� Within six months 
following any rate increase resulting in an average increase of five percent or 
greater of ratepayer bills, an electric public utility shall not disconnect 
electric service to or assess a late fee for bill nonpayment to any ratepayer 
affected by that rate increase.

���� 6.��� This act shall take 
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill prohibits any electric 
public utility from increasing the rate charged to ratepayers after the bill�s 
enactment for the purpose of recovering the cost of installing smart meters.

���� Beginning on the date 30 days 
prior to, and until 30 days after, the effective date of any electric public 
utility rate increase, the bill requires an electric public utility to publish 
the following information on its Internet website and in any customer 
communication, including, but not limited to, a paper or electronic bill: (1) 
the amount and effective date of the rate increase; (2) the reasons for the 
rate i