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Bill

Bill

A 2849

Prohibits electric public utilities from billing customers for certain services during service interruptions and requires repair of certain street lights.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Bob Auth and 2 co-sponsors

Bill prohibits utilities from billing customers during power outages and mandates utility repair of designated street lights.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee
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Bill Summary · A 2849

Legislative bill overview

A2849 prevents electric utilities from charging customers for service during periods when electricity delivery is interrupted or unavailable. The bill additionally mandates that public utilities repair street lights within their service territories, establishing a maintenance obligation for public infrastructure lighting.

Why is this important

Service interruptions already cause customer hardship through loss of power; prohibiting billing during outages prevents utilities from profiting during failures and reduces financial burden on affected residents. Street light repair requirements improve public safety and neighborhood visibility, shifting infrastructure maintenance responsibility to utilities rather than municipal budgets.

Potential points of contention

  • Utility revenue impact: Prohibiting billing during outages reduces utility revenue during service failures, potentially affecting their ability to fund grid improvements and maintenance unless other rate structures compensate
  • Street light scope ambiguity: The bill's definition of "certain street lights" is vague—unclear whether this covers all public lighting or only lights on utility-controlled poles, creating potential disputes over responsibility boundaries
  • Cost allocation: Requiring utilities to repair street lights transfers traditionally municipal expenses to private companies, which may result in rate increases passed to all customers regardless of outage frequency in their area

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

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