This bill amends existing legislation to redirect unclaimed electric, gas, and water public utility deposits from the Unclaimed Utility Deposits Trust Fund to designated Statewide nonprofit public utility assistance organizations. These organizations must meet specific eligibility criteria, including having a network of at least 200 partner organizations across all counties, a board of directors with a minimum of five utility representatives, and an on-site customer service call center capable of assisting in at least 150 languages. The primary goal of the bill is to provide temporary financial assistance to residential customers struggling to pay their utility bills after exhausting other resources.

Furthermore, the bill mandates the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to allocate $25 million from societal charge revenues to fund grants for households in need of utility bill assistance. The designated nonprofit organizations receiving these funds are required to report on various metrics, including the number of applicants, households receiving assistance, average assistance amounts, and verification methods for household income or hardship. The bill also establishes a reporting timeline for assistance organizations, requiring them to submit detailed reports within 10 months of receiving grant funds and annually thereafter, ensuring the BPU has comprehensive data on the effectiveness of the assistance programs.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 48:2-29.38, 48:2-29.39, 48:2-29.40, 48:2-29.41