ASSEMBLY, No. 5400

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MARCH 6, 2025

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Re-locates certain energy incentive and all utility assistance programs to new Office of Energy Management; establishes common application platform for utility assistance programs.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

An Actconcerning energy incentive and utility assistance programs and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes. 

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    As used in P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

     "Board" means the Board of Public Utilities. 

     "Director" means the Director of the Office of Energy Management established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). 

     "Energy incentive program" means any State program that primarily promotes energy efficiency among residential, commercial, or industrial entities. 

     "Office" means the Office of Energy Management established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). 

     "Person" means any person, including individuals, firms, partnerships, associations, societies, trusts, public or private corporations, or other legal entities, including public or governmental bodies, as well as natural persons. 

     "Utility assistance program" means any State program that offers financial assistance for utility services to residential customers or otherwise establishes utility protections for residential customers. 

 

     2.    a.  There is established, in the Department of the Treasury, the Office of Energy Management.  The office shall assume responsibility for the administration of all energy incentive programs and utility assistance programs in the State. 

     b.    The State Treasurer shall appoint a Director of the Office of Energy Management, who shall, by training and experience, be well-versed in energy efficiency, utility assistance programming, and energy planning and development.  The director shall be responsible for overseeing the operations of the office under the direction of the State Treasurer.  The office shall employ professional and administrative staff as necessary to effectuate the duties and responsibilities of the office. 

     c.     In addition to any other duties and responsibilities that may be prescribed by the State Treasurer, the office shall:

     (1) notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, as is feasible and necessary, assume responsibility for the administration of all energy incentive programs administered by the board and utility assistance programs administered by the board, the Department of Community Affairs, or the Department of Human Services that are existing at the time of the effective date of P.L.    , c.     (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);

     (2) notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, as is feasible and necessary, administer any new energy incentive program or utility assistance program that is established after the effective date of P.L.    , c.     (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);

     (3) develop and update, as necessary, the common application platform required pursuant to section 3 of P.L    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);

     (4) provide technical and information assistance to persons applying for energy incentive programs and utility assistance programs; and

     (5) coordinate with other State agencies and federal agencies, as necessary, to facilitate the transfer of responsibilities for the administration of energy incentive programs and utility assistance programs from other State agencies to the office. 

     d.    The State Treasurer shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of this section, including, but not limited to:

     (1) identifying the energy incentive programs and utility assistance programs that shall be transferred to the Office of Energy Management pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection c. of this section;

     (2) securing funding for the operations of the Office of Energy Management; and

     (3) transferring personnel to the office from other relevant State agencies, which personnel were primarily responsible for the administration of energy incentive programs or utility assistance programs, as the State Treasurer deems feasible and necessary. 

 

     3.    a.  The Office of Energy Management shall develop, or cause to be developed, a common application platform through which a person may electronically apply for utility assistance programs. 

     b.    In addition to any other functionalities that the office may deem appropriate, the common application platform shall, to the extent practicable, allow an applicant to:

     (1) identify all utility assistance programs available to New Jersey residents;

     (2) determine eligibility for each utility assistance program;

     (3) input any information or documentation that may be required by a State or federal agency as part of the application for each utility assistance program;

     (4) simultaneously submit applications for utility assistance programs; and

     (5) monitor the status of all applications for utility assistance programs submitted through the platform. 

     c.     The office shall update the common application platform, as necessary, to ensure that all information contained on the platform is up-to-date and accurate. 

 

     4.    The Office of Energy Management may, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of P.L.    , c.     (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). 

 

     5.    This act shall take effect on the first day of the six month next following the date of enactment, except the Department of the Treasury, the board, the Department of Community Affairs, and the Department of Human Services may take anticipatory action as necessary to effectuate the bill's provisions. 

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill establishes the Office of Energy Management (office) in the Department of the Treasury and directs the State Treasurer to appoint a Director of the Office of Energy Management to oversee the office's operations.  Under the bill, the office is required to: (1) administer all energy incentive programs formerly administered by the Board of Public Utilities (board) and all utility assistance programs formerly administered by the board, the Department of Community Affairs, and the Department of Human Services that exist at the time of the bill's effective date as well as all new energy incentive and utility assistance programs that are established after the bill's effective date; (2) develop and update, as necessary, a common application platform for all utility assistance programs; (3) provide technical and information assistance to persons applying for energy incentive and utility assistance programs; and (4) coordinate with other State and federal agencies, as necessary, to facilitate the transfer of responsibilities for the administration of energy incentive and utility assistance programs from other State agencies to the office. 

     Under the bill, the common application platform is required to allow an applicant to: (1) identify all utility assistance programs available to New Jersey residents; (2) determine eligibility for each utility assistance program; (3) input any information or documentation that may be required by a State or federal agency as part of the application for each utility assistance program; (4) simultaneously submit applications for utility assistance programs; and (5) monitor the status of all applications for utility assistance programs submitted through the platform. 

     The bill defines "energy incentive program" as any State program that primarily promotes energy efficiency among residential, commercial, or industrial entities.  In addition, the bill defines "utility assistance program" as any State program that offers financial assistance for utility services to residential customers or otherwise establishes utility protections for residential customers. 

     With this legislation, the sponsor intends to centralize the administration of the State's energy incentive and utility assistance programs and provide one common application process for utility assistance programs.  By housing these programs in one office, New Jersey can reduce duplicative administrative costs and provide better energy and utility services to the public.  In addition, the relocation of these programs will allow the board more time to focus on its role as the regulatory entity for public utilities, thereby ensuring that utility customers within the State receive affordable utility service.