Senate approves Parker bill limiting certain fixed charges on utility bills after heated floor questioning
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Summary
After extended Q&A on what counts as a utility 'fixed charge,' the Senate passed a public‑service law change directing the Department of Public Service to narrow what utilities may recover as fixed charges; sponsors said state and local surcharges and taxes are excluded.
The New York State Senate on Feb. 9 passed a bill (calendar 138, Senate print 13‑29) that narrows the definition of residential fixed charges utilities may recover, following extended floor questioning from members concerned about whether the measure would meaningfully lower consumer bills.
Senator Parker, sponsor of the bill, told the chamber the measure targets only narrowly defined fixed charges — metering, billing, service connections and customer service — and does not include system‑benefit charges, state or local surcharges, sales taxes or gross‑receipts taxes. "It's a narrow definition so utilities cannot add a whole bunch of extra charges that make bills balloon," Parker said.
Senator Walzack pressed the sponsor repeatedly, asking whether mandated infrastructure costs, customer‑benefit solar contributions or state assessments would be included. "If this bill does anything at all, it may actually reduce the cost for a vacant apartment or a vacation home," Walzack said, arguing that many state‑mandated charges (he estimated they can account for 30–50% of a bill) are outside the bill’s definition. He concluded by voting no.
Parker and supporters countered that the bill sets a clearer statutory floor for what utilities may label as fixed charges and that other mandated costs are resolved in rate proceedings. The debate touched on the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and whether the bill’s text alters existing cost‑effectiveness considerations; the sponsor described the change as an incidental codification.
The Senate recorded the final vote following the reading of the bill’s last section and the roll call; the bill passed (recorded tally announced on the floor). The sponsor and several members said the statute is intended to support affordability work in the State Senate while leaving traditional rate‑case mechanisms intact.
What happens next: The bill will proceed according to the usual enrollment and transmission steps for bills passed by the Legislature.
