ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5290

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 18, 2021

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5290, with committee amendments.

      As amended and reported, this bill requires the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), in consultation with the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), to prepare and submit, within 30 days of the conclusion of a BPU proceeding concerning the response to the coronavirus 2019 pandemic, to the Governor and to the Legislature, a written report which is to make findings and recommendations concerning the effects of the coronavirus 2019 pandemic on local utility and public utility service to commercial and residential customers in this State.

      The data collected from the BPU’s proceeding concerning the response to the coronavirus 2019 pandemic is to be posted on the BPU’s Internet website and updated monthly until 180 days after the date of the termination of public health emergency and state of emergency declared on March 9, 2020 by the Governor, pursuant to Executive Order No. 103 and extended, where applicable, by subsequent executive orders. The data is to be formatted in a manner determined by the BPU and is to include certain information enumerated in the bill.

      The bill requires a public utility to, within 21 days of the effective date of the bill, to file with the BPU, in a form and manner determined by the BPU, the information required pursuant to the bill. A local utility is to, within 21 days of the effective date of the bill, file with the DCA, in a form and manner determined by the BPU, the information required pursuant to the bill. The DCA is to provide this information to the BPU in a timely manner.

      The bill directs the BPU to provide on its Internet website the information required pursuant to the bill. The information provided on the Internet website is not to include personally identifiable information of any customer.

      The bill provides that, not more than 180 days after the date of the termination of public health emergency and state of emergency declared on March 9, 2020 by the Governor, pursuant to Executive Order No. 103 and extended, where applicable, by subsequent executive orders, the BPU, in consultation with the DCA, is to continue to collect and compile, on a quarterly basis, information concerning local utility and public utility service and commercial and residential customer information, which is to include, but not be limited to, certain information enumerated in the bill. A public utility is to file with the BPU, in a form and manner determined by the BPU, the information required pursuant to the bill. A local utility is to file with the DCA, in a form and manner determined by the BPU, the information required pursuant to the bill. The DCA is to provide this information to the BPU in a timely manner.

      The bill requires the BPU to provide on its Internet website the information required pursuant to the bill simultaneously with the completion of each report, which is to be updated on a quarterly basis. The information provided on the Internet website is not to include personally identifiable information of any customer.

      As amended and reported, this bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 3335, which was also amended and reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to require the BPU to submit a report to the Governor and to the Legislature within 30 days of the conclusion of a BPU proceeding concerning the response to the coronavirus 2019 pandemic. The amendments remove the requirement that the BPU provide a report to the Governor and Legislature each month. The amendments require the data collected from the BPU’s proceeding concerning the response to the coronavirus 2019 pandemic to be posted on the BPU’s Internet website and updated monthly until 180 days after the date of the termination of public health emergency and state of emergency. The data is to be formatted in a manner determined by the BPU.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      This bill is not certified as requiring a fiscal note.