S 9263: Requires utilities accept public assistance payments including payments from the home energy assistance programs and emergency funding programs.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9263  IN SENATE February 19, 2026 ___________ Introduced by Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni- cations 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