Senate approves public service bill as Mayer urges change to utility rate methodology

The New York State Senate passed Senate Print 1701 on Jan. 27, advancing a public service law enacted to the statute as printed in the calendar. During her explanation of vote, Senator Mayer framed the measure in the context of mounting constituent complaints about utility delivery charges and urged the Legislature to consider changing the methodology used by the Public Service Commission to set rates.

Mayer said constituents regularly contact her office about what they view as “exorbitant fees charged by Con Ed for delivery of our electricity and gas,” and described the current regulatory process as backwards. She urged changing the rate-setting approach so that a preferred rate is set by the commission as a rebuttable presumption and to limit monopoly utility returns that she said come “at the expense of our constituents.” Mayer said the body had passed related bills previously and called on the Assembly and governor to act.

The bill passed on a roll-call announced on the floor. The transcript records the roll-call result as 39 ayes and 21 nays; the motion was recorded as passed. The sponsor, Senator Mayer, spoke at length but the transcript does not record an amendment to the bill on the floor. The bill takes effect as specified in the calendar language that accompanied the measure.