S 9321 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Relates to protections against utility termination for medical emergencies, life-support equipment and elderly, blind and disabled customers

Summary

Establishes uniform definitions, standardized procedures, and uniform applications or forms, for determining a medical emergency, life-support equipment and designation of elderly, blind and disabled customers protected from termination of utility services.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 27, 2026 Last action Jun 5, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

S9321 → S9321A · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to streamline protections for vulnerable utility customers by clarifying eligibility rules and simplifying administrative requirements. The changes ensure that protections apply to any household member meeting specific criteria, regardless of who holds the account, and remove the requirement for financial documentation during the initial 30-day emergency period. Additionally, the bill now explicitly allows applications to be submitted via multiple digital and physical channels, including a dedicated online portal.

Scope change

The bill's applicability was expanded to cover any resident of a household meeting eligibility criteria, even if the person of record does not qualify, ensuring broader protection for vulnerable individuals within a home.

ELIGIBILITY

Clarified that protections apply to the residential account whenever any resident meets the criteria, regardless of whether the customer of record or other members qualify.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement for utility companies to request detailed medical records or deny coding based on internal interpretations of medical necessity.

Explicitly stated that utility corporations must not require financial documentation for the initial thirty-day medical emergency period.

Added a dedicated online portal as an approved method for submitting applications for emergency service protections.

ENFORCEMENT

Updated the consequence for failing to act within the five-day review window to explicitly result in automatic approval of the requested account designation.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 5, 2026

Committee

COMMITTED TO RULES

upper

May 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

AMENDED ON THIRD READING 9321A

upper

Feb 27, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors