New York 2025 Session Status: Introduced

S8491 — Relates to denials of increased utility rates and charges

Last action — In Senate Committee

  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced August 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Not enough signal yet

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

Not enough signal yet to read this bill's trajectory — we surface a likelihood only once there's real movement (stage, sponsorship, committee, or votes) to point to.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill ensures utility rates remain unchanged if a rate increase request is denied.

This legislation mandates that if the public service commission denies a utility's request for higher rates, current rates stay the same. The existing rates and charges continue until a new rate is approved.

What this means for you
  • Consumers: This means consumers will not face increased utility rates if the commission rejects a rate hike request.

Summary

Provides that whenever the public service commission denies a request by a utility for a major change in rates or charges, the schedule, rate, charge, form of contract or agreement, rule, regulation, general privilege, facility, or service immediately in effect prior to such request shall remain in full force and effect until such time as the commission approves a new rate, charge.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. COMMITTED TO RULES

  2. AMENDED ON THIRD READING 8491A

  3. ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

  4. 2ND REPORT CAL.

  5. 1ST REPORT CAL.400

  6. REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

  7. REFERRED TO RULES

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 218 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (218)

218 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 218 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety energy
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S8491 do?
Provides that whenever the public service commission denies a request by a utility for a major change in rates or charges, the schedule, rate, charge, form of contract or agreement, rule, regulation, general privilege, facility, or service immediately in effect prior to such request shall remain in full force and effect until such time as the commission approves a new rate, charge.
Who sponsors S8491?
S8491 is sponsored by Michelle Hinchey.
What is the current status of S8491?
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced August 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S8491?
Track S8491 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on S8491

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of S8491

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →