This bill mandates that each public utility providing electric or gas distribution services in New Jersey establish a medical baseline program. The program is designed to offer a medical baseline discount to residential customers who qualify based on specific medical conditions, such as dependency on life support equipment, paraplegia, multiple sclerosis, and other serious health issues, upon certification from licensed medical professionals. The medical baseline is defined as the quantity of electricity or gas necessary to meet the energy needs of these customers that exceed those of an average residential customer. The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) is tasked with determining the medical baseline and ensuring it reflects the current needs of medical baseline customers, reviewing it at least every three years.

Additionally, the bill requires public utilities to notify medical baseline customers in advance of planned service outages and provide updates regarding the expected duration of such outages. Utilities must also publish information about the medical baseline program on their websites and include details on how to apply for the discount in customer communications. The medical baseline discount cannot exceed the lowest available residential rate charged by the utility. Overall, the bill aims to ensure that vulnerable customers with significant medical needs receive adequate support and resources to manage their energy consumption effectively.