BILL NUMBER: S4432
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to residential gas
service rate discount programs for low-income and senior households; and
to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the residen-
tial gas service rate discount for low-income and senior households fund
 
PURPOSE:
This bill will provide low income and senior residents financial relief
relative to oil, gasoline, and petroleum payments by creating a state
fund to make such costs more affordable
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 (1) adds section 74-c to the public service law to establish a
gas, oil, kerosene or petroleum discount program based on household
income and senior citizen status
(2) provides participants shall pay no more than six percent of their
total annual income towards gas, oil, and kerosene and that companies
that provide such resources shall offer a discount to reflect a
discounted price. (b) Households must submit income data to gas corpo-
rations to determine eligibility. (c) Eligible households must receive
discounted price in any bill or payment agreement.
(3) requires gas corporations shall submit compliance reports on the
fifteenth of November each year and outlines relative informational
(4) shall administer the funds made available pursuant to section nine-
ty-one-h of the state finance law to gas corporations based on the needs
of eligible households
(5) provides that violations shall be handled by the attorney general of
New York's office
Section 2 (1) adds section 91-h to the state finance law to create the
"residential gas service rate discount for low-income and senior house-
hold's fund."
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In New York State it is estimated that in 2019 over 400,000 gallons of
fuel oil or kerosene was used for heating homes upstate and over 900,000
gallons were used for heating homes downstate. Given the high cost of
delivery and service associated with natural gas and other fuel sources,
low income folks and seniors may have a difficult time paying their
energy bill relative to their fixed incomes.
There are over 800 companies located in New York State registered with
NYS Department of Taxation and Finance for the New York State Petroleum
Business Tax as either a diesel fuel distributor or a retailer of non-
highway diesel fuel. There are in excess of 200 companies registered
with the same authority that are located outside of New York State.
These oil, kerosene and petroleum companies clearly provide "heat
related service" throughout New York State. The breadth and depth of the
usage of combustible fuel for heating and the large number of competing
and unregulated companies that provide service in this industry requires
laws and regulations to protect consumers.
The absence of oil, kerosene and petroleum from Art.2 PBS Law has left
thousands of residential consumers with little recourse or protections
from usurious and fraudulent practices and charges. In the coldest
months of the year, these companies are able to leave families without
heat without any due process. It has become the burden of the consumer
to Eight these companies often with only a hand written receipt that
does not include the date of service, name of the company or method of
reporting unfair, discriminatory or harassing practices. In areas
dependent on these forms of heat there are hundreds of fires and other
related emergencies each winter as families try to keep warm using elec-
tric heaters, stoves and ovens.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023- 2024: S6468
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill is effective sixty days from its date of passage.