This bill aims to protect public utility customers in New Jersey by prohibiting public utilities from imposing certain surcharges and fees. Specifically, it disallows public utilities from assessing a surcharge on any customer, as well as fees for customers who choose to make one-time payments instead of enrolling in automatic payment plans, and for those who prefer to receive paper statements rather than opting for paperless statements.

The bill defines a surcharge as an additional charge that public utilities impose during payment transactions to cover the costs associated with third-party payment processing services. By eliminating these surcharges and fees, the legislation seeks to ensure fair treatment of all public utility customers, regardless of their payment preferences. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.