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S 4361

Relates to applications for the approval and construction of energy-related projects

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Leroy Comrie

Establish a Summer Termination Program prohibiting shutoffs for eligible residential customers of utilities from June 15 to August 31, with restoration and flexible payment options

REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS
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Bill Summary · S 4361

Summary — S.4361 (2025)

Title: Relates to applications for the approval and construction of energy-related projects (Summer Termination Program)

Note: This summary reflects the bill as amended (reported by the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee, 6/26/2025). Companion: A5563 (1R).

Purpose

Establish a Summer Termination Program to prevent summer shutoffs of electric, sewer, and water service for eligible residential customers. The intent is to protect vulnerable households from loss of essential utilities during the summer and to require restoration of service for qualifying households terminated before the summer period.

Key provisions

  • Two parallel programs: the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) must each establish a Summer Termination Program within 120 days of the law taking effect.
  • Service shutoff prohibition: local authorities, municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and public utilities may not discontinue electric, sewer, or water service for eligible residential customers during June 15–August 31 each year, except for a defined "utility emergency."
  • Annual restoration: any eligible residential customer whose service was terminated for nonpayment prior to June 15 must have service restored on June 15 with no reconnection fee. Utilities may verify occupancy before restoration.
  • Deferred payment arrangements: during June 15–August 31 utilities must discuss deferred payment arrangements with participating customers who are in arrears.
  • Eligibility:
    • Customers who meet one or more categorical eligibility criteria used in the DCA’s or BPU’s Winter Termination Program; or
    • Customers unable to pay due to circumstances beyond their control (e.g., unemployment, illness, medically-related expenses, recent death of an immediate family member, or other financial hardship as determined by DCA/BPU).
  • Self-certification: DCA and BPU must create processes allowing residential customers to self-certify inability to pay due to qualifying circumstances.
  • Exception: protections do not apply where discontinuation is required by a "utility emergency" (defined as conditions posing potential danger to life, health, or property or resulting in unscheduled interruptions).

Administration & timeline

  • DCA and BPU each must promulgate rules and implement their program within 120 days of the act’s effective date.
  • Programs are implemented through rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act.

Fiscal impact (Office of Legislative Services)

  • Estimated potential increase in annual State administrative expenditures: up to $3.5 million to administer programs (based on costs of the Winter Termination Program).
  • Potential local revenue decrease (loss of reconnection fees and penalties) — indeterminate.
  • Potential local expenditure decrease (reduced dispatch for disconnections/reconnections) — indeterminate; may be partially offset by costs to restore service on June 15.

Who is affected

  • Residential customers of local authorities, municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and public utilities in New Jersey.
  • Local authorities, municipal and public utilities, and rural electric cooperatives (operational and fiscal impacts).
  • DCA and BPU (administration and rulemaking responsibilities).

Legislative status / recent actions

  • Introduced: May 12, 2025 (Sen. Leroy Comrie, primary sponsor)
  • Reported out of Senate Economic Growth Committee: 6/12/2025
  • Reported with amendments by Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee: 6/26/2025
  • Substituted by A5563 (1R): 6/30/2025
  • Referred earlier to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions (Feb 4, 2025)

Related/previous measures

  • Companion: A5563 (1R)
  • Prior-session related bills: S.8226, S.2265, S.5846, S.3014

If enacted, the bill would create permanent summer protections mirroring winter shutoff protections, shift some administrative workload to state agencies, and change local utilities’ revenue and operational patterns during the June 15–August 31 period.

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

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