ASSEMBLY, No. 2851

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman BRIAN E. RUMPF

District 9 (Ocean)

Assemblyman GREGORY E. MYHRE

District 9 (Ocean)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Scharfenberger

SYNOPSIS

     Prohibits collection of certain subscription fees under community solar program.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act prohibiting certain billing practices under the community solar program and supplementing P.L.2018, c.17 (C.48:3-87.8 et al.). 

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.    a.  As used in this section: 

     “Board” means the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities or any successor agency. 

     “Community solar program” means the program established by the board pursuant to subsection f. of section 5 of P.L.2018, c.17 (C.48:3-87.11). 

     “Subscriber” means any person who participates in a community solar project by means of the purchase or payment for a portion of the capacity or energy produced by a community solar facility. 

     “Electric public utility” means the same as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-51). 

     “Solar subscription fee” means any fee or charge included in a community solar subscriber’s consolidated bill that is paid to a subscriber organization. 

     “Subscriber organization” means any entity registered with the board that participates in the community solar program and acquires original subscribers for a community solar project; acquires replacement subscribers over the lifetime of a community solar project; or manages subscribers for a community solar project. 

     b.    Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, the board shall require each electric public utility to develop and implement a method to remove any community solar subscription fee from a community solar subscriber’s electric public utility bill. 

     c.     The board shall adopt, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this section. 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately. 

STATEMENT

     This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (board) to prohibit the collection of subscription fees under the community solar program.  Specifically, the bill requires each electric public utility to develop and implement a method to remove any community solar subscription fee from a community solar subscriber’s electric public utility bill.  Currently, community solar subscription fees are incorporated in a community solar subscriber’s electric public utility bill, along with applicable bill credits.  

     Under the bill, “solar subscription fee” means any fee or charge included in a community solar subscriber’s consolidated bill that is paid to a subscriber organization.  In addition, the bill defines “subscriber organization” as any entity registered with the board that participates in the community solar program and acquires original subscribers for a community solar project; acquires replacement subscribers over the lifetime of a community solar project; or manages subscribers for a community solar project.