New York S 10548: Enacts the citizens utility board act; appropriation

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 Speaker Carl E. Heastie

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S10548 Summary:

BILL NOS10548 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A10389

&nbsp

SPONSORCLEARE

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add Art 12 §§250 - 271, Pub Serv L

&nbsp

Enacts the citizens utility board act; establishes the citizens utility board to represent and protect the interests of the residential utility consumers of this state.

Go to top S10548 Actions:

BILL NOS10548 

&nbsp

05/20/2026REFERRED TO FINANCE

Go to topS10548 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS10548 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS10548 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 10548

 IN SENATE

 May 20, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to enacting the
 citizens utility board act; and making an appropriation therefor

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 2 the "citizens utility board act".
 3 § 2. The public service law is amended by adding a new article 12 to
 4 read as follows:
 5 ARTICLE 12
 6 CITIZENS UTILITY BOARD
 7 Section 250. Purpose.
 8 251. Definitions.
 9 252. Citizens utility board: formation and membership.
 10 253. Powers and duties.
 11 254. Contributions.
 12 255. Board of directors.
 13 256. Duties of directors.
 14 257. Director statement of financial interest.
 15 258. Executive director: qualifications; appointment.
 16 259. Annual membership meeting.
 17 260. Mailing procedures.
 18 261. Prohibited acts.
 19 262. Appointment of interim board of directors.
 20 263. Membership of the board of directors.
 21 264. Public records.
 22 265. Officers of the board of directors.
 23 266. Corrupt practices and conflicts of interest.
 24 267. Board to be nonpartisan.
 25 268. Expenses.
 26 269. Dissolution.
 27 270. Construction.
 28 271. Liability of public utility.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD14874-02-6

 S. 10548 2

 1 § 250. Purpose. The purpose of this article is to promote the health,
 2 welfare and prosperity of all the citizens of this state by ensuring
 3 effective and democratic representation of utility consumers before the
 4 public service commission, the federal energy regulatory commission, the
 5 federal communications commission, the courts, and other public bodies
 6 and by providing for consumer education on utility service prices and on
 7 benefits and methods of energy conservation. Such purpose shall be
 8 deemed a statewide interest and not a private or special concern.
 9 § 251. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall
 10 have the following meanings:
 11 1. "Board" means the citizens utility board established pursuant to
 12 section two hundred fifty-two of this article.
 13 2. "Board of directors" means the board of directors of the citizens
 14 utility board.
 15 3. "Campaign contribution" means a gift, subscription, loan, advance
 16 or deposit of money or anything of value, made for the purpose of elect-
 17 ing a candidate to the board of directors; or a contract, a promise or
 18 agreement, express or implied, whether or not legally enforceable, to
 19 make any campaign contribution; but does not include the value of
 20 services provided without compensation by individuals who volunteer a
 21 portion or all of their time on behalf of a candidate or political
 22 committee, or the use of real or personal property and the cost of invi-
 23 tations, food and beverages, voluntarily provided by an individual to a
 24 candidate in rendering voluntary personal services on the individual's
 25 residential premises for candidate-related activities.
 26 4. "Campaign expenditures" means a purchase, payment distribution,
 27 loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value, made for
 28 the purpose of electing a candidate to the board of directors; or a
 29 contract, promise, or agreement, express or implied, whether or not
 30 legally enforceable, to make any campaign expenditure; but does not
 31 include the use of real or per