Bill
A 500
The bill requires prorated bill credits automatically for outages over 72 hours from traditional telephone services, with VoIP credits available only to residential customers who r
Note on title discrepancy
- The bill text provided and committee materials concern refunds/credits for telephone service interruptions. The title at the top of your prompt (about a generic drug laboratory and biosimilar insulin initiative) does not match the document content. This summary follows the bill text and committee statement, which amend New Jersey telecommunications statutes to require prorated bill adjustments/credits for extended service outages.
Bill at a glance
- Bill number: A 500 (NJ Assembly)
- Primary sponsor: Asm. Phil Steck
- Introduced: January 9, 2024
- Status at time of summary: Reported from Assembly Telecommunications & Utilities Committee with amendments (6/3/2024); referred to Assembly Commerce, Economic Development & Agriculture Committee; later listed as REFERRED TO HEALTH (1/8/2025)
- Statutory changes: Amends P.L.1991, c.428 (C.48:2-21.19) and P.L.2007, c.195 (C.48:17-35)
- Effective date: Immediately upon enactment
Purpose / intent
- To ensure customers receive prorated bill adjustments or credits when telephone service (traditional wireline, regulated public utility, or VoIP/IP-enabled) is interrupted for more than 72 consecutive hours, and to give the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) authority to implement and limit those requirements.
Key provisions
- Applies to:
- Local exchange telecommunications companies and interexchange carriers (amendments to P.L.1991, c.428).
- Telephone public utilities subject to BPU regulation.
- Companies providing VoIP or other IP-enabled telephone services (amendments to P.L.2007, c.195).
- Mandatory remedy: Providers must, on a prorated basis, adjust a customer’s bill or provide a credit when the customer experiences a service interruption exceeding 72 hours.
- Notification/eligibility differences:
- For local exchange companies and regulated telephone public utilities: providers shall not require customers to take any action to receive the prorated adjustment or credit (i.e., automatic).
- For VoIP / IP-enabled services: the adjustment/credit is limited to residential customers. Under committee amendments, residential customers must notify the provider by telephone or in writing within 30 days of a service interruption exceeding 72 hours to receive the adjustment/credit. The bill permits the BPU to adopt additional exceptions or limitations.
- Exception: No requirement to provide a credit for VoIP/IP interruptions that occur during an event that causes significant damage to the electric grid.
- BPU authority: May establish further exceptions/limitations and implement rules to carry out the statute.
Who is affected / likely impact
- Consumers: Residential and other customers of telephone and VoIP services will gain a clear remedy (prorated credit) for outages longer than 72 hours; VoIP residential customers must report outages within 30 days to claim credits.
- Service providers: Must develop billing/proration procedures, track outages, and in many cases issue automatic credits. VoIP/IP providers have narrower obligations and BPU-regulated discretion may limit scope.
- Regulators: BPU will need to issue implementing rules, define terms (e.g., “service interruption,” proration method), and potentially adjudicate disputes and exceptions.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Reported with committee amendments 6/3/2024 (Assembly Telecommunications & Utilities Committee).
- Referred subsequently to other Assembly committees and to the Department/Committee on Health (records show referral 1/8/2025).
- Companion/related legislation: S2374 (companion), A9535 (prior-session).
Observations / implementation issues to watch
- The bill does not specify the exact proration formula or how “service interruption” will be defined; those are left to BPU rulemaking.
- The 30-day notice requirement for VoIP customers (added in committee) creates a procedural difference between traditional/regulated wireline services (automatic credits) and VoIP services (claim-based credits).
- BPU discretion to carve out exceptions (e.g., grid damage events) could substantially affect how broadly credits are applied.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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