ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5131

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 24, 2021

      The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5131.

      As reported, this bill authorizes a municipality operating a municipal electric distribution system (system) to impose a separate charge in the nature of a connection fee upon the owner or occupant of the property being connected to the system. The connection fee is to be uniform within each class of users of the system and the amount of the fee is not to exceed the actual cost of the physical connection to the system plus an amount representing a fair payment towards the cost of the system and computed in the manner described in the bill. The connection fee is to be recomputed at the end of each budget year, after a public hearing is held.  The revised connection fee may be imposed upon those who subsequently connect to the system in that budget year.