Requires utilities accept public assistance payments

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Chris Burdick and 3 co-sponsors

Gas and electric utilities must accept and fully credit public assistance payments (HEAP and emergency funds) toward restoring service and past-due balances.

RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY

Bill Summary – A 10160 (2025-2026) – New York

Basic purpose

Require gas and electric utilities to accept and credit public assistance payments made on behalf of residential customers.

Specifically, payments from social services districts, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, and programs such as the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and emergency funding programs.

Key provisions and changes

New statutory addition: Section 32 of the Public Service Law gains a new subdivision 7.

Obligations on utilities:

A gas or electric corporation must accept any eligible public assistance payment tendered for a residential customer by:
A social services district, or
The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA),
Including HEAP payments under Social Services Law § 97,
Including emergency funding from programs under Social Services Law § 131-s.
Once such a payment is received OR there is notice that the payment has been authorized or issued, the utility must treat the payment as made for all purposes under the Public Service Law.
The payment must be credited toward:
Restoration of residential utility service, and
Satisfaction of other forms of collections activity (e.g., past-due balances), regardless of the customer’s account status.

Who is affected

Residential customers of gas and electric utilities in New York.

Utilities (gas and electric corporations) that provide residential service and handle collections.

Public agencies administering assistance programs (e.g., social services districts, OTDA, HEAP, emergency funding programs) that issue or authorize payments on behalf of customers.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Effective date: Immediate upon enactment.

The bill’s process history indicates concurrent legislative activity in both houses, with final actions in 2026:

Passed Assembly: April 29, 2026
Delivered to Senate: April 29, 2026
Passed Senate: June 3, 2026
Returned to Assembly and substituted/renumbered for a related measure (A 10160A in prior stage)
Final enactment and progress noted in June 2026

No phase-in period specified; the provision takes effect immediately once signed into law.

Potential impact and considerations

Administrative: Utilities must adjust processes to recognize and credit public assistance payments promptly upon receipt or authorization.

Customer protection: Enhances access to continued service and reduces risk of service disruption due to disputes over eligibility or timing of payments.

Equity considerations: Improves consistency for households relying on HEAP and emergency assistance by ensuring payments are accepted and properly credited.

Financial: May alter customary collections practices for utilities by ensuring external public funds can credit toward amounts due, including past due balances and restoration charges.

Notable details

The bill explicitly includes HEAP under the Home Energy Assistance Program and emergency funding programs as eligible payments.

Language requires credit and treatment “for all purposes under this section,” ensuring comprehensive application beyond simple payment receipt.