Bill
S 4532
Requires utilities with smart meters to send residents periodic energy usage and cost notifications, with opt-out options and enrollment.
Status / Procedure
- Senate bill S 4532 was introduced May 29, 2025, and reported favorably with committee amendments by the Senate Economic Growth Committee on June 12, 2025. The bill was later substituted by A5736 (1R) on June 30, 2025.
- Primary sponsor listed: Senator Michael Gianaris. The committee report lists Senators John J. Burzichelli and Angela V. McKnight as sponsors/co-sponsors; Senator Timberlake is a co-sponsor in the report.
Purpose
- Require electric and gas public utilities to operate an “Energy Bill Watch” program that notifies residential customers with smart meters about their ongoing electricity or gas usage and estimated cost during each billing cycle, to help consumers monitor and manage energy consumption and billing surprises.
Key provisions and changes
- Scope and definitions
- Clarifies that the program applies to residential “smart meter customers” — customers whose usage is measured by a smart meter.
- Revises the definition of “electric public utility” (technical clarification regarding transmission and distribution language).
- Program establishment and timeline
- Each electric and gas public utility that uses smart meters must establish an “Energy Bill Watch” program no later than 90 days after the law’s effective date.
- Notifications (content, timing, and format)
- Utilities must notify smart meter customers during the week of the 10th and during the week of the 20th of each billing cycle (committee amendment — previously specified the 10th and 20th days).
- Each notification must include (as of a time no more than two days before sending): (a) the estimated cost in dollars of the customer’s electricity or gas usage for the billing cycle-to-date, and (b) the amount of usage in kilowatt-hours (kWh) or therms.
- Customers may choose to receive notifications either by text message or by electronic mail. If a new customer does not express a preference, the utility will send notifications by electronic mail.
- The first notification about program availability must be sent via bill insert or electronic mail (committee amendment), and must include information on how to choose notification method or opt out.
- Optional features for customers
- Option to set a dollar threshold that triggers an alert when usage reaches that threshold.
- Option to receive a separate periodic comparison of average daily usage for the current billing cycle vs. prior cycle or same cycle in prior year.
- Enrollment and outreach
- Utilities must automatically enroll all smart meter customers in the program.
- Utilities must advertise the program by multiple methods (email, social media, website, and bills).
- The initial availability notice must include instructions on how to opt out or customize notifications.
Who is affected
- Directly affected: residential customers whose electricity or gas usage is recorded by smart meters in New Jersey; electric and gas public utilities that use smart meters.
- Indirectly affected: utility customer-service operations (to implement enrollment, messaging, and threshold services), and potentially consumers’ energy bills if notifications drive behavior changes.
Implementation and impacts
- Timing: utilities must implement the program within 90 days of the law taking effect; the act is written to take effect immediately upon enactment.
- Operational/fiscal impact: the bill does not include appropriation language. Utilities may incur administrative and IT costs to build/operate notification systems and enrollment processes. Consumers may benefit from improved billing transparency and the ability to avoid bill shocks.
- Consumer protections: gives consumers control over notification method and opt-out ability; defaults to electronic mail if no preference is stated.
Related/previous measures
- Companion/related bills: A5736 (1R) — substituted on 2025-06-30; A7954 (companion listed twice), prior-session bills S2424, S593, S1981, S2670, S1281, S86, S141.
Committee amendments (selected)
- Shifted notifications from exact 10th/20th days to the week of those days.
- Required initial availability notice via bill insert or email instead of text.
- Clarified customer choice of text or email and that email will be default if no preference expressed.
- Minor technical clarifications to definitions (e.g., electric public utility).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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