ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

ASSEMBLY, No. 4569

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  FEBRUARY 24, 2021

 

      The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4569.

      As amended and reported, this bill retains a written or electronic signature as a method of approval to provide electric generation service or gas supply service and removes the other methods of approval, thereby requiring an electric power supplier and gas supplier (energy supplier) to receive a written or electronic signature from a person prior to providing the person with electric generation service or gas supply service and for the renewal of a contract for those services.  Current law allows an energy supplier to receive a person’s approval to provide electric generation service or gas supply service if the energy supplier first receives the person’s approval though: 1) a written signature; 2) electronic signature; 3) an audio recording of a telephone call initiated by the person; 4) an independent, third-party verification of a telephone call initiated by an energy supplier; or 5) any alternative forms of verification as the Board of Public Utilities may permit. 

 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to retain a customer’s electronic signature as a method of energy supplier service approval and contract renewal thereof.