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NY A02197
Bill
Status
6/7/2023
Primary Sponsor
Jeffrey Dinowitz
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AI Summary
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Energy services companies (ESCOs) must include a side-by-side price comparison on the first page of each billing statement showing ESCO charges versus what the customer would have paid from their local utility or municipality for the prior billing period.
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ESCOs must separately itemize prices for any energy-related value-added products provided during the billing period.
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ESCOs must provide customers with an annual statement comparing the ESCO's 12-month charges for commodity, delivery services, and value-added products against what the customer would have paid their local utility or municipality, clearly indicating whether the customer saved money or paid a premium.
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The Attorney General may bring civil actions against ESCOs violating these requirements and recover penalties up to $1,000 per violation plus attorney fees and costs, with possible court-ordered restitution.
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Customers injured by violations may sue to enjoin unlawful practices, recover actual damages or $500 (whichever is greater), or both, with courts authorized to award up to three times actual damages (not exceeding $10,000) for willful violations and reasonable attorney fees to prevailing plaintiffs.
Legislative Description
Requires that a billing statement delivered to the customer by an energy services company include a side-by-side comparison showing both the price charged by the energy service company for commodity and delivery service during the prior billing period, and the price the customer would have paid had they taken commodity and delivery service from their local utility corporation or municipality; requires an energy service company to provide each of its customers with an annual statement comparing the price charged by the energy service company for commodity and delivery services and other energy-related value-added products over the prior twelve-month period with the price such customer would have paid had they taken commodity and delivery service from their local utility corporation or municipality.
Last Action
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION
1/17/2024