BILL NUMBER: S9122
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to directing the
public service commission to develop, publish, and update a guidebook on
the gas and electric ratemaking process
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of the bill is to facilitate participation in, and promote
public understanding of, the electric and gas ratemaking process.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Requires the Public Service Commission (PSC) to develop,
publish, and update a guidebook which provides practical information
relating to the electric and gas ratemaking process. The guidebook must
be written in plain language, accessible to the general public, and
contain specific information for public participation and for interven-
ing parties.
Section 2: Requires that the guidebook be published within 120 days of
this act becoming law.
Section 3: Establishes an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The electric and gas ratemaking process is a complicated, technical, and
sometimes opaque process which is of increasingly important significance
as utility rates have begun to rise. The current process is guided by a
combination of statutory and regulatory requirements as well as PSC
orders, rules, and guidelines. Participating in this process can be a
daunting task for both the general public and parties interested in
intervening and formally taking part. Parties which may be interested in
intervening may be dissuaded from actually participating given that
helpful information and guidance about this process can be hard to come
by. This bill is an important step in making the details of this compli-
cated process more accessible and easily understood.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S9122: 66 public service law