Prohibits any gas or electric corporation from absolving itself from liability for service interruption arising from liability of employee negligence

Latest action Jan 7, 2026

Prohibits gas and electric corporations from filing any schedules setting forth rules or regulations which absolve or attempt to absolve such corporations from liability for the interruption of its supply of service arising from the ordinary negligence of its employees, servants or agents; provides that any such schedules filed are void as against public policy.

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Where it stands

Out of committee and scheduled for a vote by the full chamber.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Amends the Public Service Law.

Committee

Energy And Telecommunications · New York State Senate

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Prohibits any gas or electric corporation from absolving itself from liability for service interruption arising from liability of employee negligence

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Committee vote · Energy And Telecommunications
Senate Energy And TelecommunicationsMay 19, 2025Result: passed
(8) (1) (0) (0)

The sponsor's argument

Why Michael Gianaris says this is needed

A Task Force convened in response to a massive power outage in western Queens in 2011 found inadequacy in Consolidated Edison's policies regarding reimbursement for its failure to deliver a safe and adequate supply of electricity, as the public service law requires. One funda- mental barrier to the public's ability to be appropriately compensated is the current language in the tariffs filed by electric and gas utili- ties disclaiming any responsibility for disruptions of service, except in cases of gross negligence. This is further evidenced by continued power outages recently experienced by New Yorkers throughout Tropical Storm Isaias. The Task Force recommended that the Legislature should amend the public service law to remove the tariff bar against suits for damages from outages due to simple negligence. This bill would eliminate the liabil- ity shield utility companies enjoy during service interruption if utili- ty negligence is proven.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
NY Senate
Jun 13, 2025
In committee
COMMITTED TO RULES
NY Senate
May 21, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 20, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
May 19, 2025
1ST Report CAL.1139
1ST REPORT CAL.1139
NY Senate

Show full history (1 earlier event)

Apr 4, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 3, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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