An Act concerning electric and gas public 1[utilities] utility1 billing practices and amending P.L.2025, 1[c47] c.471.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2025, c.47 (C.48:3-86.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. As used in P.L.2025, c.47 (C.48:3-86.1 et. seq.):
“Electric public utility” means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that 1transmits and1 distributes electricity to end users within this State.
“Gas public utility” means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that distributes gas to end users within this State.
“Smart meter” means an electronic metering device that measures and records utility usage data in regular intervals on a daily basis and wirelessly transmits this data to a public utility for billing and other purposes.
“Smart meter customer” means a residential customer of an electric public utility or gas public utility whose electricity or gas usage is measured using a smart meter.
(cf: P.L.2025, c.47, s.1)
2. Section 2 of P.L.2025, c.47 (C.48:3-86.2) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. No later than 90 days following the effective date of P.L.2025, c.47 (C.48:3-86.1 et. seq.), each electric public utility and each gas public utility that uses smart meters to record customers’ electricity or gas usage information shall establish a program, which program shall be called “Energy Bill Watch,” to notify a smart meter customer of the customer’s electricity or gas usage as provided in subsection b. of this section.
b. Under an “Energy Bill Watch” program established pursuant to subsection a. of this section, an electric public utility or a gas public utility shall, at a minimum:
(1) notify a customer 1[on] during the week of1 the 10th day of each billing cycle via, at the customer’s discretion, text message or [, if the electric public utility or gas public utility does not possess a smart meter customer’s mobile telephone number, via] electronic mail, of the cost in dollars of the customer’s electricity or gas usage for the billing cycle up to the time at most two days before which the notification is sent and the amount in kilowatt hours or therms of the customer’s electricity or gas usage for the billing cycle up to the time at most two days before which the notification is sent;
(2) notify a customer 1[on] during the week of1 the 20th day of each billing cycle via, at the customer’s discretion, text message or [, if the electric public utility or gas public utility does not possess a smart meter customer’s mobile telephone number, via] electronic mail, of the cost in dollars of the customer’s electricity or gas usage for the billing cycle up to the time at most two days before which the notification is sent and the amount in kilowatt hours or therms of the customer’s electricity or gas usage for the billing cycle up to the time at most two days before which the notification is sent;
(3) provide a customer the option to set a threshold dollar value for the cost of electric or gas service at which the electric or gas public utility will notify the customer via the customer’s selection of text message or electronic mail that the customer has reached the threshold dollar value based on the customer’s electricity or gas usage for that billing cycle; and
(4) provide a customer with the option to receive a separate 1[notice] notification1 each billing cycle that compares the customer’s average daily electricity or gas usage from that billing cycle with the customer’s average daily electricity or gas usage from the previous billing cycle or from the same billing cycle in the previous calendar year.
c. An electric public utility or a gas public utility shall:
(1) advertise the electric public utility’s or gas public utility’s “Energy Bill Watch” program through multiple methods, including, but not limited to:
(a) electronic mail;
(b) posts on social media platforms;
(c) the electric public utility’s or gas public utility’s Internet website; and
(d) bills to customers who possess smart meters;
(2) notify all smart meter customers via 1[text message] bill insert or electronic mail1 when the electric public utility’s or gas public utility’s “Energy Bill Watch” program is available for customers and include in the notification 1:
(a) information about how the customer may choose to receive program notifications pursuant to subsection b. of this section via text message; and
(b)1 the choice to opt out of the program 1[. If the electric public utility or gas public utility does not possess a smart meter customer’s mobile telephone number, the electric public utility or gas public utility shall send the notification via electronic mail]1;
(3) automatically enroll all smart meter customers in the program; 1[and]1
(4) include in a customer’s first 1[notice] notification provided pursuant to subsection b. of this section1 guidance on how the customer can customize notifications or opt out of the “Energy Bill Watch” program 1; and
(5) if a smart meter customer does not express the customer’s preference to receive notifications provided pursuant to subsection b. of this section via text message or via electronic mail, send notifications pursuant to subsection b. of this section via electronic mail1.
(cf: P.L.2025, c.47, s.2)
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Updates certain notification requirements in "Energy Bill Watch" program.