Lawmakers have passed a bill aimed at mitigating chronic late billing by utility companies, a move triggered by widespread complaints across New York.
Awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature, the legislation would restrict utility companies to bill for services provided only within the past two months.
Under this law, if a customer has not received a bill for services provided within that period, the utility would be legally unable to collect payment.
The new law will provide utilities with a strong financial incentive to issue timely bills, thus preventing customers from being penalized for the company’s failures.
The bill also mandates that utility bills include a usage history of two years, enabling customers to verify their charges more easily.
The legislation expands on existing public service law that allowed utilities to bill for services rendered over the prior six months, except in cases where late billing was due to the customer’s misconduct.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].