NY A10999

Requires gas, electric, water, steam, telegraph, telephone, cable television, internet service providers, and municipalities providing utility services to establish and maintain a toll-free number for reporting service outages.

The toll-free number must be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with capacity to handle surge call volumes during emergencies or extreme weather.

Utilities must post the toll-free number clearly and conspicuously on their website homepage and on the first page of each consumer's billing statement.

Non-compliance subjects utilities to penalties authorized under section 25 of the Public Service Law.

The act takes effect 90 days after becoming law.