BILL NUMBER: S9321A
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to protections
against termination of residential utility service in cases of medical
emergencies, life-support equipment and elderly, blind or disabled
customers
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill strengthens medical protections under Public Service Law 32 by
creating uniform definitions, standardized applications, clear time-
lines, and accountability requirements to safeguard medically vulnerable
utility customers from service termination.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: This section amends subdivision 3 of section 32 of the Public
Service Law to standardize and enhance medical protections against util-
ity shut offs. It provides for uniform definitions, procedures, applica-
tion requirements, timeframes, reporting requirements, and regulatory
authority for implementation.
Subsection (a): This subsection requires the Commission to utilize
specific definitions for medical emergency, life support equip- ment,
and elderly, blind, disabled for designating customer accounts.
Subsection (b): This subsection requires the Commission to establish and
require simplified and standardized application forms for all utilities.
Subsection (c): This subsection requires utilities to accept applica-
tions from licensed medical professionals or customers directly, limits
medical documentation to proof of necessity, prohibits financial
documentation for the first thirty days of medical emergency relief, and
requires HEFPA compliance for any subsequent verification.
Subsection (d): This subsection requires utilities to accept applica-
tions through multiple means of submission.
Subsection (e): This subsection requires utilities to process applica-
tions within five business days and provides for automatic approval if
no action is taken within the five-day period.
Subsection (f): This subsection prohibits utilities from requiring
extensive , medical documentation beyond what is authorized or denying
life support equipment for designating customer accounts based on inter-
nal medical necessity determinations.
Subsection (g) mandates the reporting of applications, approvals, and
denials by the utilities to the Commission each year and the preparation
of an annual public report by the Commission, which shall be published
starting July 1, 2027.
Section 2 gives the act an effective date of one hundred eighty days
after the enactment of the law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Current law provides special protections from utility shut offs for
elderly, blind, or disabled customers as well as customers who depend on
life-support equipment to sustain their life. However, these protections
are inconsistently applied among utility corporations and sometimes hard
to access for medically vulnerable customers. Patients with medical
conditions requiring oxygen, ventilators, dialysis equipment, refriger-
ated medications, or severe health consequences from the loss of elec-
tricity, gas, or steam continue to face delays, denials, or onerous
documentation requirements.
Customers are often required to provide a great deal of medical informa-
tion, are subject to inconsistent financial verification requirements,
and face immense delays in processing applications. These factors pose
severe health and safety risks, especially to elderly, blind, disabled,
and chronically ill utility customers. In some instances, utility
service shut offs may lead to hospitalizations, emergency .services, or
life-threatening outcomes.
The bill does not create new benefit programs or expand eligibility
categories; rather, it strengthens and clarifies existing protections to
ensure they function as intended.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPACTS:
None to state.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment
and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
completed on or before such effective date