New York A 10236: Relates to enhanced customer service standards and compliance framework for utility customer assistance operations

Bill Text

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A10236 Summary:

BILL NOA10236 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S09166

&nbsp

SPONSORCruz

&nbsp

COSPNSRStirpe, Solages, Steck, DeStefano, Meeks, Seawright, Reyes

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §65-c, Pub Serv L

&nbsp

Establishes performance-based service standards and oversight mechanisms for gas and electric utility customer assistance centers to ensure high-quality customer care, emergency response capacity, and consumer protection.

Go to top A10236 Actions:

BILL NOA10236 

&nbsp

02/12/2026referred to energy

Go to topA10236 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA10236 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topA10236 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 10236

 IN ASSEMBLY

 February 12, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. CRUZ -- read once and referred to the Committee
 on Energy

 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to enhanced customer
 service standards and compliance framework for utility customer
 assistance operations

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

 1 Section 1. Legislative intent and safeguards. 1. Legislative purpose.
 2 This act is intended to ensure high-quality customer assistance services
 3 through performance-based regulation that protects consumer interests,
 4 maintains emergency response capabilities, and promotes regulatory effi-
 5 ciency while avoiding unnecessary barriers to legitimate business oper-
 6 ations.
 7 2. Location neutrality. Performance standards shall be applied
 8 consistently to all customer assistance centers serving New York custom-
 9 ers regardless of physical location, with evaluation based on demon-
 10 strated capability, service quality outcomes, and regulatory compliance
 11 rather than assumptions about operational effectiveness based on facili-
 12 ty location.
 13 3. Proportionality requirements. All regulatory requirements shall be
 14 proportionate to identified risks and regulatory objectives, with
 15 consideration of utility size, operational complexity, and resource
 16 availability to ensure requirements do not impose excessive burden rela-
 17 tive to consumer benefits achieved.
 18 § 2. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 65-c to
 19 read as follows:
 20 § 65-c. Enhanced customer service standards and compliance framework.
 21 1. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall
 22 have the following meanings:
 23 (a) "Customer assistance call center" means any facility, whether
 24 located within or outside of the state of New York, that receives, proc-
 25 esses, or responds to customer inquiries, complaints, service requests,
 26 or emergency calls on behalf of a gas or electric corporation, provided

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD14828-01-6

 A. 10236 2

 1 such facility handles more than one thousand customer contacts annually
 2 from New York customers.
 3 (b) "Emergency service call" means any customer contact reporting an
 4 event that poses an immediate threat to life, health, property, or
 5 public safety involving utility infrastructure, including but not limit-
 6 ed to gas leaks, electrical hazards, service outages affecting critical
 7 facilities, or other situations requiring prompt utility response to
 8 protect public safety.
 9 (c) "First-call resolution" means the successful handling and closure
 10 of a customer inquiry or complaint during the initial customer service
 11 interaction as confirmed by customer acknowledgment that their inquiry
 12 was answered or their complaint was addressed to their satisfaction,
 13 without need for follow-up, escalation, or transfer to resolve the
 14 substantive issue presented.
 15 (d) "Operational integration" means electronic communication capabili-
 16 ties that provide operational information updates between customer
 17 assistance centers and field operations within industry-standard time-
 18 frames not to exceed five minutes during normal operations, with allow-
 19 ances for network disruptions and system maintenance periods.
 20 (e) "Geographic risk mitigation plan" means a comprehensive documented
 21 strategy demonstrat