A 10160: Requires utilities accept public assistance payments including payments from the home energy assistance programs and emergency funding programs.
The bill aims to protect low-income individuals from being disconnected from residential gas and electric services due to unpaid bills. It requires utilities to accept and credit public assistance payments made on behalf of residential customers by social services districts or the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. These accepted payments can be used to restore residential utility service and satisfy other forms of collections activity, regardless of the customer's account status. If the payment does not fully satisfy arrears, the utility must encourage the customer to apply for additional public assistance programs and offer a payment agreement for the remaining balance. The bill takes effect immediately, aiming to ensure that low-income individuals can maintain access to essential services without facing disconnections due to payment issues.
- What is the current status of A 10160?
- As of June 23, 2026, A 10160 is recorded as "Passed first house": it has passed the chamber it started in and is now before the second chamber. The last recorded action, on June 3, 2026, was "RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY".
- Did A 10160 pass?
- Not yet. A 10160 has passed its house of origin and is now before the second chamber, where it needs committee approval and a floor vote.
- Who wrote A 10160, and where is it now?
- A 10160 was authored by Asm. Chris Burdick with 3 coauthors. It is filed under PBS, alongside 90 other New York PBS bills this session.
| Jun. 03, 2026 | RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY |
| Jun. 03, 2026 | PASSED SENATE |
| Jun. 03, 2026 | 3RD READING CAL.1651 |
| Jun. 03, 2026 | SUBSTITUTED FOR S9263A |
| Apr. 29, 2026 | REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 10160 IN ASSEMBLY February 12, 2026 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. BURDICK -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring public assistance payments for residential gas and electric service are accepted and credited by utilities The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 32 of the public service law is amended by adding a 2 new subdivision 7 to read as follows: 3 7. A gas or electric corporation shall accept and credit any public 4 assistance payment tendered on behalf of a residential customer by a 5 social services district or the office of temporary and disability 6 assistance, including but not limited to payments made pursuant to the 7 home energy assistance program as established in section ninety-seven of 8 the social services law, and emergency funding from programs as estab- 9 lished in section one hundred thirty-one-s of the social services law. 10 Upon receipt of such payment or notice that such payment has been 11 authorized or issued, a gas or electric corporation shall treat the 12 payment as made for all purposes under this section, including restora- 13 tion of residential utility service, and satisfaction of other forms of 14 collections activity, regardless of the status of the customer's 15 account. 16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD14731-01-6