Bill
A 4052
Requires NJ electric utilities to itemize and display the customer's sales and use tax separately on every retail electricity bill.
Note on discrepancy
- The bill metadata provided includes two inconsistent descriptions: the bill title at the top (“Limits the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority with regard to the number of tolls charged on trucks”) does not match the text included under “Version Content,” which is an act titled the “Electricity Bill Transparency Act.” This summary focuses on the text provided (the Electricity Bill Transparency Act). Users should verify the correct title/text with the official legislative record.
Bill purpose
- Establishes greater transparency on electric bills by requiring electric utilities that sell retail electricity in New Jersey to separately state certain charges — specifically the sales and use tax amount attributable to the customer — on each bill. The act is cited as the “Electricity Bill Transparency Act.”
Key provisions and changes
- New short title: designates the measure the “Electricity Bill Transparency Act.”
- Amends Section 14 of P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B‑14) to clarify billing and tax disclosure rules. Notably:
- Reinforces existing rules that sellers of energy or utility services include sales tax within the purchase price, but
- Requires sellers of electricity to include, on each retail electricity bill, the amount of the sales and use tax attributable to that customer, listed separately from other charges.
- The provided text also shows broader existing provisions about taxpayer and collector liability, relief where sellers rely on erroneous data from the Director of the Division of Taxation, and circumstances in which customers must file/pay directly to the Director — some of which are restated or referenced by the amendment.
- The version content truncates further amendments to P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3‑60) and other possible sections; those portions are not fully shown in the material provided.
Who would be affected
- Electric utilities and retail electricity sellers operating in New Jersey: will need to modify billing systems and processes to separately calculate and display the sales/use tax amount per customer bill.
- Retail electricity customers: will receive clearer itemization showing how much of their bill represents sales/use tax.
- State tax and utility regulators (Division of Taxation, Board of Public Utilities) and certified billing service providers: will oversee compliance and may need to update guidance and certifications.
- Potentially third‑party billing and metering vendors that support utility billing platforms.
Practical impact and considerations
- Increased transparency for customers about tax components of electricity bills.
- Administrative and IT costs for utilities and vendors to change bill formats and accounting systems.
- May reduce customer disputes about tax charges by making the tax component explicit.
- The truncated text suggests additional changes may be present but not provided; fiscal impacts are not detailed in the supplied material.
Procedural status and timeline
- Introduced in the Assembly: March 11, 2024. Referred to the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee.
- Subsequent committee referrals and actions:
- Referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions (1/31/2025).
- Amended and recommitted to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions; print number issued as 4052A (2/28/2025).
- Sponsors: Assemblyman Brian Cunningham (primary); cosponsors Jonathan Jacobson, Jaime R. Williams, and George Alvarez.
- Related/companion bills: S‑4518, S‑2621; prior-session A‑9569.
Recommendation
- Because the provided text is truncated and the header title conflicts with the body, consult the official legislative site (NJ Legislature) or the committee print (4052A) to confirm the final text, any additional provisions, and fiscal notes before relying on this summary for legal, regulatory, or implementation planning.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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