Skip to main content

Agora
Sign in

Senate bill · S7328 (2025-26)

Relates to the appointment and responsibilities of the commissioners of the public service commission

Latest action May 18, 2026

New York State Senate

Same as A10993, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Sponsor

Michelle Hinchey

State Senator, District 41 · Democratic/Working Families

Follow

Summary

Relates to the appointment and responsibilities of the commissioners of the public service commission; requires the commission to have a duty to protect public interest, including ensuring access to utility services for residential and business customers; prohibits commissioners from having been employed within the last two years by an electric, gas, steam, telecommunications, or water utility that is regulated by the commission.

Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries

Amends the Public Service Law.

From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 21, 2026. About our data

Follow

Following needs an Agora account. You will sign in first, then come back to this page.

Your position on this bill

Choose the position closest to yours. You'll sign in or create an account to save it.

Sign in or create an account to give your position

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To require an additional consumer advocate to be on the commission, to codify the commission's duty to protect the public interest and to consumers, and to prohibit a former employee of a utility from serving as a commissioner for two years following their departure from such utility.

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

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Up for a vote
  4. Passed one chamber
  5. Passed
  6. Enacted

Committee

Corporations, Authorities and Commissions · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Corporations, Authorities And Commissions · New York State Senate, Energy And Telecommunications · New York State Senate.

Cosponsors

Andrew Hevesi, Anil Beephan Jr. and 8 more on Agora

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab)
  • Democratic9
  • Republican1

This bill has cosponsors from more than one party.

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

The sponsor's argument

Why Michelle Hinchey says this is needed

The Public Service Commission (PSC) is charged with regulating utilities in New York, including determining rates they can charge and ensuring utilities provide adequate service. Their scope is sweeping, covering electricity, gas, steam, water, and telecommunications. To meet its mandate, the PSC must have commissioners representing a range of stake- holders. It must also be statutorily clear that the PSC is, first and foremost, accountable to the public, not the utility companies, and that its core mission is to ensure that New Yorkers have affordable, safe, and reliable access to utility services. This includes acting and ruling in the best interests of ratepayers while ensuring affordable rates for all consumers. This legislation would bring the PSC more in line with serving the interests of ratepayers in several ways: First, it would require that a second commissioner have a utility consumer advocate background (up from one in current law). Second, the bill requires that, as commissioner spots become available on the PSC, the Governor make appointments that will ensure varied expe- rience in as many of the statutorily listed related fields as possible. Third, the bill codifies the PSC's duty to ensure affordable, safe, secure, and reliable access to utility services for residents and busi- nesses, with a priority on the best interests of and affordability for utility consumers. Finally, this legislation would prohibit any employee of a utility regu- lated by the commission from serving as a commissioner for two years after the end of their employment, consistent with the legislature's lobbying ban, to prevent regulatory capture and ensure the independence of the commission. Each of these reforms will help ensure that the PSC stands up for rate- payers' interests and prioritizes affordable rates for New Yorkers in any rate case or PSC proceeding.

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.

Recorded votes

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateMay 18, 2026Result: passed

    (57) (3) (0) (3)

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateFeb 4, 2026Result: passed

    (42) (20) (0) (1)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Energy And Telecommunications

    Senate Energy And TelecommunicationsJan 27, 2026Result: passed

    (15) (5) (0) (0)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Rules

    Senate RulesJan 12, 2026Result: passed

    (15) (5) (0) (0)

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateJun 5, 2025Result: passed

    (40) (20) (0) (3)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Energy And Telecommunications

    Senate Energy And TelecommunicationsMay 13, 2025Result: passed

    (6) (3) (0) (0)

Full history

  1. May 18, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

    NY Assembly

  2. May 18, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    REPASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  3. May 18, 2026

    Returned to Assembly

    RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  4. May 7, 2026

    Advanced to Third Reading CAL.487

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING CAL.487

    NY Assembly

  5. May 5, 2026

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED

    NY Assembly

Show full history (20 earlier events)
  1. May 4, 2026

    Amended

    AMENDED ON THIRD READING 7328B

    NY Senate

  2. May 4, 2026

    Recalled From Assembly

    RECALLED FROM ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  3. May 4, 2026

    Returned to Senate

    RETURNED TO SENATE

    NY Assembly

  4. Apr 30, 2026

    Amend and Recommit to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

    AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

    NY Assembly

  5. Apr 14, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

    NY Assembly

  6. Feb 5, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

    NY Assembly

  7. Feb 4, 2026

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  8. Feb 4, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  9. Jan 27, 2026

    Ordered to Third Reading CAL.147

    ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.147

    NY Senate

  10. Jan 27, 2026

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO RULES

    NY Senate

  11. Jan 7, 2026

    Died in Assembly

    DIED IN ASSEMBLY

    NY Assembly

  12. Jan 7, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

    NY Senate

  13. Jun 5, 2025

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  14. Jun 5, 2025

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  15. Jun 5, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

    NY Assembly

  16. May 29, 2025

    Amended

    AMENDED ON THIRD READING 7328A

    NY Senate

  17. May 15, 2025

    Advanced to Third Reading

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

    NY Senate

  18. May 14, 2025

    2ND Report CAL.

    2ND REPORT CAL.

    NY Senate

  19. May 13, 2025

    1ST Report CAL.1100

    1ST REPORT CAL.1100

    NY Senate

  20. Apr 10, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

    NY Senate