This bill amends R.S.48:2-42 to enhance the enforcement capabilities of the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) regarding compliance with audit procedures. It introduces a civil penalty of $500 for each day a public utility fails to provide sufficient information necessary for the BPU to complete an audit after being notified of such a failure. Additionally, the bill maintains existing penalties for non-compliance with BPU orders, specifying $100 for general non-compliance and $250 for failure to resume service after an order.

The intent of the bill is to address issues of non-cooperation from public utilities during audits, which have previously led to incomplete audits. By imposing these penalties, the bill aims to ensure that public utilities comply with audit requests in a timely manner, thereby facilitating the BPU's oversight responsibilities. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.