Bill

S 4773

Prevents outsourcing during a hiring freeze

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Leroy Comrie and 3 co-sponsors

Requires water utilities with smart meters to notify customers monthly of usage and charges, with opt-in text notices, consent rules, and clear bill details.

COMMITTED TO RULES

WeVote Research Nonpartisan

Bill Summary · S 4773

Summary of S 4773 (New Jersey)

Overview

S 4773, introduced October 27, 2025 and currently COMMITTED TO RULES, would require water public utilities that use smart meters to notify customers about their water usage and charges. The bill applies to water utilities, including local authorities and municipal utilities that provide water service, and it creates standardized notice, opt-in/out, and bill-information requirements designed to increase transparency around smart meter data and billing.

Key Definitions

Smart meter: An electronic meter that records water usage daily and wirelessly transmits data to the utility for billing and other purposes.
Smart meter customer: A residential customer whose water usage is measured by a smart meter.
Water public utility: A public utility that provides water to end users in New Jersey (as defined in the statute).

Main Provisions

1) Notice of water usage (for water utilities using smart meters)
- Due date: Utilities must notify smart meter customers by the last day of each month.
- Delivery method: Customer’s choice of mail, electronic mail, or text message.
- Content of notification (minimum):
- The dollar cost of the customer’s water usage for the current billing cycle up to two days before the notice date.
- The amount in gallons of water used for the same period.
- Additional notification options (customer opt-in):
- Set a threshold dollar value for monthly costs, triggering a notice when reached.
- Receive a separate notice each cycle comparing average daily usage to either the previous cycle or the same cycle in the prior year.

2) Initial contact and consent requirements
- Initial contact to smart meter customers must be made via a bill insert (mail or electronic mail) explaining:
- How to sign up for the opt-in notifications.
- How to opt out.
- How to provide prior express consent to receive text notifications (where applicable).
- Text message communications require prior express consent from the customer.

3) Bill content requirements
- In each bill, utilities must include:
- The previous billing cycle charge.
- The current billing cycle charge.
- The difference between the two cycles.
- Any tariffs, fees, or taxes assessed in the current cycle.

4) Local authorities and municipal utilities (Section 2)
- Local authorities and municipal utilities that use smart meters are subject to the same notice, opt-in/out, consent, and bill-content requirements as above, with equivalent procedures and disclosures.

Affected Parties

Residential smart meter customers of water public utilities (including local authorities and municipal utilities).
Water public utilities and their billing operations.
Bill inserts and communications staff within utilities.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Status: Introduced in Senate on Oct 27, 2025; referred to Rules Committee; later actions show “COMMITTED TO RULES.”
The bill outlines monthly notification deadlines and multiple opt-in pathways, with an emphasis on prior consent for text messaging and clear bill-level disclosures.

Notes

The excerpt provided for S 4773 ends with section 3 being truncated, so additional provisions (if any) are not visible here. The summary reflects sections 1 and 2 as presented and notes the truncation.

Related Bills

S 6561, S 4132 (prior-session)
A 1396 (companion)

This bill aims to increase transparency around smart-metered water usage and charges, with explicit notification, consent, and billing disclosure requirements for affected utilities and customers.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.