Sponsored by:
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain customer identification to be presented to electric power or gas supplier if customer switches services.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain residential electric and gas services and amending P.L.2015, c.291.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2015, c.291 (C.48:3-98.5) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. (1) A customer shall be permitted to switch between an electric power supplier and a basic generation service provider or between electric power suppliers, provided the electric public utility receives an electronic enrollment notice from the electric power supplier no later than 20 days prior to the next scheduled meter reading date for the switch to be effective on that date. A switch between an electric power supplier and a basic generation service provider, or between electric power suppliers, shall become effective on the customer's scheduled meter reading date, which shall occur at least monthly for the purpose of enabling customers to switch suppliers. The board may establish a shorter timeframe for switching between an electric power supplier and a basic generation service provider, or between electric power suppliers.
(2) If a residential customer elects to switch between an electric power supplier and a basic generation service provider or between electric power suppliers, as permitted under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the residential customer shall provide to the electric power supplier:
(a) government-issued photo identification; or
(b) government-issued non-photo identification accompanied by a secondary method of identification, including, but not limited to, a telephone number in the customer’s name, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or pay check, or a credit or automatic teller machine card displaying the person’s name.
The electric power supplier shall attest to the electric public utility that identification authorized by this paragraph was provided along with the residential customer’s service address. An electric power supplier shall not require a residential customer to provide an electric public utility account number or point of delivery identification number if the customer provided a form of identification authorized by this paragraph. A residential customer shall not switch between an electric power supplier and a basic generation service provider or between electric power suppliers without providing a written or electronic signature authorizing the switch pursuant to consumer protection standards for electric power suppliers under law or regulation.
b. (1) A customer shall be permitted to switch between a gas supplier and gas public utility or between gas suppliers, provided the gas public utility receives an electronic enrollment notice from a gas supplier on or before the first business day of the month for a switch to be effective on the following month's scheduled meter reading date. A switch between a gas supplier and gas public utility, or between gas suppliers, shall become effective on the customer's scheduled meter reading date, which shall occur at least monthly for the purpose of enabling customers to switch suppliers. The board may establish a shorter timeframe for switching between a gas supplier and a gas public utility, or between gas suppliers.
(2) If a residential customer elects to switch between gas supplier and a gas public utility or between gas suppliers, as permitted under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the residential customer shall provide to the gas supplier:
(a) government-issued photo identification; or
(b) government-issued non-photo identification accompanied by a secondary method of identification, including, but not limited to, a telephone number in the customer’s name, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or pay check, or a credit or automatic teller machine card displaying the person’s name.
The gas supplier shall attest to the gas public utility that identification authorized by this paragraph was provided along with the residential customer’s service address. The gas power supplier shall not require a residential customer to provide a gas public utility account number or point of delivery identification number if the customer provided a form of identification authorized by this paragraph. A residential customer shall not switch between a gas supplier and a gas public utility or between gas suppliers without providing a written or electronic signature authorizing the switch pursuant to consumer protection standards for electric power suppliers under law or regulation.
c. Nothing in this section shall preclude a basic generation service provider, electric power supplier, gas public utility, or gas supplier from utilizing any methods allowing a customer to switch electric power suppliers or gas suppliers.
(cf: P.L.2015, c.291, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect on the 60th day after the date of enactment and shall apply to contracts formed or renewed on or after the effective date of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that a residential customer who consents to switching between an electric power supplier and a basic generation service provider or between electric power suppliers, or a residential customer who switches between a gas supplier and a gas public utility or between gas suppliers, is to do so by providing either government-issued photo identification or government issued non-photo identification accompanied by a secondary method of identification. Under the bill, a secondary method of identification would include, but not be limited to, a telephone number in the customer’s name, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or pay check, or a credit or automatic teller machine card displaying the person’s name. The electric power supplier and gas supplier are to attest to the appropriate public utility that identification authorized by the bill was provided along with the residential customer’s service address. A residential customer is not to be required to provide an electric or gas public utility account number or point of delivery identification number if a form of authorized identification was provided. The bill prohibits a residential customer from switching between these suppliers, providers, and utilities without providing a written or electronic signature authorizing the switch.
The bill does not prohibit an electric power supplier, basic generation service provider, gas public utility, or gas supplier from utilizing any methods allowing a customer to switch electric power suppliers or gas suppliers.