ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5583

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 11, 2025

      The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 5583.

      As amended and reported, this bill prohibits an electric public utility or a gas public utility from charging a residential customer who resides in a multi-unit dwelling a meter-reading fee that exceeds the cost of the residential customer’s electricity or gas usage for that billing cycle.

      Under the bill, “meter-reading fee” means a fee charged to an electric public utility or gas public utility customer who has opted out of smart meter installation, and which fee is intended to cover the cost of manual meter readings conducted by an electric public utility or gas public utility.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to: 

      (1)  update the definition of “electric public utility” to align with current law; and

      (2)  make a technical change.