ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4671

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 19, 2020

      The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4671.

      As reported, this bill requires a public utility and local utility to notify, in a form and manner determined by the public utility and local utility, respectively, each of its residential customers of information and resources available to residential customers concerning utility service and bill payment assistance during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic. The notices required by the bill would have to contain information on any: 1) moratorium in effect on the disconnection, discontinuance, or termination of utility service; 2) deferred bill payment agreement program; 3) bill payment assistance program; and 4) arrearage forgiveness program. The notices are to be provided on a quarterly basis until 18 months after the date of the termination of Executive Order No. 103 of 2020, which authorized the State of Emergency in response to the coronavirus 2019 pandemic.

      The bill requires the Department of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Board of Public Utilities, to compile information on State and federal policies and programs concerning public utility and local utility service and bill payment assistance, which is to be made available to every public utility and local utility and is to be included in the notices required by the bill.