S 2413: Requires the public service commission to retain an independent auditor to conduct audits of private water utility companies prior to and after rate changes are approved by the public service commission.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2413 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE January 17, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring the public service commission retain an independent auditor to conduct audits of private water utility companies prior to and after rate changes are approved by the public service commission The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 10 of section 89-c of the public service law is 2 amended by adding a new paragraph (b-1) to read as follows: 3 (b-1) Prior to the approval by the commission of a change by a private 4 water utility company in any rate or charge, or in any form of contract 5 or agreement or any rule or regulation relating to any rate, charge or 6 service, or in any general privilege or facility, the commissioner shall 7 retain a third-party auditor to conduct an audit of such private water 8 utility company and provide his or her findings to the commission in 9 writing. The third-party auditor shall not be affiliated with the 10 commission or with any member of the public service commission. In the 11 event of approval by the commission of any such change by a private 12 water utility company in rate or charge, or in any form of contract or 13 agreement or any rule or regulation relating to any rate, charge or 14 service, or in any general privilege or facility, the independent audi- 15 tor shall conduct a second audit of the private water utility company 16 one year after the change takes effect. The commission shall publish the 17 results of all such audits on its website. 18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06553-01-5