BILL NUMBER: S1721
SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to certain penalties
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The penalties included in Section 25 and 25-a of the public service law
have not been updated since they were introduced in 1986. This bill
increases the penalties by 272% to account for historic inflation, and
Indexes them on an annual basis going forward.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Short title: This act shall be known and may be cited as
"Utility Penalty Adjustment".
Section 2: Increases the penalties in Section 25 of the public service
law by 272% for historical Inflation and ties the penalties to inflation
moving forward.
Section 3: Increases the penalties in Section 25-a of the public service
law by 272% for historical inflation and ties the penalties to inflation
moving forward.
Section 4: Sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Penalties dater utilities from committing illegal action. Inflation over
more than thirty years has eroded this deterrent effect, and this bill
brings the penalties from 1986 up to contemporary price levels. ft main-
tains the deterrent effect In the future by indexing the penalties to
inflation. The law should hold utilities sufficiently accountable when
they harm consumers.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
This bill will nominally increase revenue by Increasing penalty fees.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it is signed into
law.