STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator SAMUEL D. THOMPSON
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits solid waste collectors from billing for residential collection services more than 30 days in advance of the service.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning residential solid waste collection services, amending P.L.1991, c.381, and supplementing P.L.1970, c.39.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 11 of P.L.1991, c.381 (C.48:13A-7.11) is amended to read as follows:
11. a. Every solid waste collector shall notify customers at least once every year that solid waste collection services in this State are available on a competitive basis, as provided in the customer bill of rights established by the [board] department in rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," and shall provide every customer with a copy thereof.
b. In addition to the rules and regulations set forth in N.J.A.C.7:26H-5.12. and all other rules, regulations and operational standards adopted by the department pertaining to solid waste collection services, a solid waste collector shall not bill for residential solid waste collection services more than 30 days in advance of the service. Every solid waste collector shall notify its residential customers of this requirement, in writing, within 10 days of the effective date of this subsection.
c. Should any solid waste collector fail or refuse to comply with any provision of this section, the department may revoke or suspend the certificate of public convenience and necessity issued to that person.
2. (New section) a. A solid waste collector registered pursuant to sections 4 and 5 of P.L.1970, c.39 (C.13:1E‑4 and 13:1E‑5) shall not, at any time, bill for residential solid waste collection services more than 30 days in advance of the service. Every solid waste collector shall notify its residential customers of this requirement, in writing, within 10 days of the effective date of this section.
b. The department, after hearing, may revoke or suspend the registration issued to any person engaged in solid waste collection upon a finding that such person has failed or refused to comply with any provision of this section.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits solid waste collectors from billing for residential collection services more than 30 days in advance of the service.
It has been variously reported that certain solid waste collectors bill for residential collection service as much as five months in advance of providing the service.
In order to curtail these trash haulers from realizing a windfall by collecting 4-5 months interest on the prepayments of their residential customers, this bill limits such prepayments to no more than 30 days in advance of the actual collection service.