ASSEMBLY, No. 2468
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits telecommunications, utility or cable television companies from
charging certain customers prior to actual billing due date.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee with technical
review.
A2468 QUIJANO
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AN ACT concerning certain customer billing practices and 1
supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes. 2
3
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 4
of New Jersey: 5
6
1. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the 7
Legislature as this bill): 8
"Board" means the Board of Public Utilities or any successor 9
agency. 10
"Cable television company" or "CATV company" means a 11
company as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.1972, c.186 12
(C.48:5A-3), that provides cable television service to the public 13
within this State. 14
"Credit card customer" means a customer who agrees to allow a 15
telecommunications company, electric public utility, gas public 16
utility or cable television company to automatically bill the 17
customer's credit card for service received during each billing cycle. 18
"Direct debit customer" means a customer who agrees to allow a 19
telecommunications company, electric public utility, gas public 20
utility or cable television company to automatically deduct 21
payments from the customer's bank account for service received 22
during each billing cycle. 23
"Electric public utility" means a public utility as that term is 24
defined in R.S.48:2-13, that transmits and distributes electricity to 25
end users within this State. 26
"Gas public utility" means a public utility, as that term is defined 27
in R.S.48:2-13, that distributes natural gas to end users within this 28
State. 29
"Telecommunications company" means a company authorized by 30
the board to provide telecommunications services to the public in 31
this State including, but not limited to, a carrier authorized by the 32
board to provide local telecommunications services or long-distance 33
telecommunications services or both. 34
"Telecommunications service" means any telecommunications 35
service which is subject to regulation by the board pursuant to Title 36
48 of the Revised Statutes. 37
38
2. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, rule, 39
regulation or order to the contrary, the board shall prohibit any 40
telecommunications company, electric public utility, gas public 41
utility or cable television company from charging a credit card 42
customer or direct debit customer for telecommunications service, 43
gas service, electric service or cable television service, as the case 44
may be, prior to the actual billing due date for service within each 45
billing cycle that would apply if the customer elected to pay for 46
service by cash, money order or personal check, unless the customer 47
expressly agrees in writing to be charged for service on an earlier 48
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date. 1
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this 2
section to the contrary, the board shall allow a telecommunications 3
company, electric public utility, gas public utility or cable television 4
company to charge a credit card customer or direct debit customer 5
for telecommunications service, gas service, electric service or 6
cable television service, as the case may be, prior to the actual 7
billing due date for service within a billing cycle if the customer 8
requests a company or utility to do so by making such request by 9
telephonic communication to the company or utility or by any other 10
means that the board approves. 11
12
3. The board may, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure 13
Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) adopt such rules and 14
regulations, as shall be necessary to implement the provisions of 15
this act. 16
17
4. This act shall take effect 90 days after enactment but the 18
board may take administrative actions in advance to effectuate the 19
purposes of this act. 20