New Jersey A 2127: Prohibits certain public utilities from charging residents of multi-unit dwellings meter-reading fees in certain circumstances.

Bill Text

A2127 

ASSEMBLY, No. 2127 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman LINDA S. CARTER

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

Assemblywoman CARMEN THERESA MORALES

District 34 (Essex)

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

SYNOPSIS

���� Prohibits certain public utilities from charging 
residents of multi-unit dwellings meter-reading fees in certain circumstances.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

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

�� 

An Act concerning public utility meter-reading fees and 
supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� a.� As used in this 
section:� 

���� �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.

���� �Meter-reading fee� means a fee charged to an 
electric public utility or gas public utility customer who has opted out of 
smart meter installation, and which fee is intended to cover the cost of manual 
meter readings conducted by an electric public utility or gas public utility.

���� �Smart meter� means a metering device that 
employs smart meter technology to measure, record, and transmit utility 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 utility usage data.

���� b.��� Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, 
or order to the contrary, no electric public utility or gas public utility 
shall charge a residential customer who resides in a multi-unit dwelling a 
meter-reading fee that exceeds the cost of the residential customer�s 
electricity or gas usage for that billing cycle.

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

STATEMENT

����� This bill prohibits an electric public utility or a 
gas public utility from charging a residential customer who resides in a 
multi-unit dwelling a meter-reading fee that exceeds the cost of the 
residential customer�s electricity or gas usage for that billing cycle.

����� Under the bill, �meter-reading fee� means a fee 
charged to an electric public utility or gas public utility customer who has 
opted out of smart meter installation, and which fee is intended to cover the 
cost of manual meter readings conducted by an electric public utility or gas 
public utility.