A 4972

ASSEMBLY, No. 4972
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MAY 7, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman� JOHN DIMAIO
District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
���� Revises BPU membership terms and requires BPU members
to have certain experience.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act concerning membership of the Board of Public Utilities
and amending R.S.48:2-1.
���� Be It
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� R.S.48:2-1 is amended to
read as follows:
���� 48:2-1.� a.� The Board of
Public Utilities, named pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 001-1994, effective
on July 4, 1994, and allocated in, but not of, the Department of the Treasury
pursuant to that plan, is continued and is designated as the Board of Public
Utilities or the �board.�
���� b.��� The board shall consist
of five citizens of this State who shall devote their entire time to the duties
of the board and shall not engage in any occupation, profession or other
gainful employment.
���� c.���� Members of the board
shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate,
for terms of six years, except as provided in paragraphs (1) through (5) of
subsection e. of this section.� The terms of office of the members of the
board shall continue until their successors are appointed and qualified.� No
person shall act as a member of the board until that person's appointment has
been confirmed by the Senate.� Not more than three of the members of the board
shall be members of the same political party.� All vacancies, except through
the expiration of term, shall be filled for the unexpired term only.
���� d.��� The term of any
member appointed to the board prior to the effective date of
P.L.    , c.    (pending before the
Legislature as this bill) shall cease.� However, each member serving on the
board immediately prior to the effective date of P.L.    ,
c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall
continue to serve until the Governor has appointed, or reappointed, a member to
fill each vacancy on the board pursuant to subsection e. of this section.
���� e.���� Within 90 days of
the effective date of P.L.    , c.
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Governor shall, pursuant to
subsection c. of this section, appoint a new member, or reappoint a member
whose term has ended pursuant to subsection d. of this section, to fill each
vacancy on the board as follows:
���� (1)�� one member shall
serve for a term of two years;
���� (2)�� one member shall
serve for a term of three years;
���� (3)�� one member shall
serve for a term of four years;
���� (4)�� one member shall
serve for a term of five years; and
���� (5)�� one member shall
serve for a term of six years.
���� Thereafter, any appointment
to the board shall be for a term of six years and the terms shall remain
staggered.
���� f.���� For appointments
made to the board after the effective date of P.L.    ,
c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
���� (1)�� at least one member
of the board shall have experience in energy affordability and consumer
protection; and
���� (2)�� at least one member
of the board shall have experience in grid engineering, utility operation, or
emergency reliability.
(cf:� P.L.2001, c.132, s.1)
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill amends current law
to revise the membership terms for members of the Board of Public Utilities
(BPU).� Upon enactment of the bill, members of the BPU are required to be
appointed within 90 days of the bill�s effective date.� The bill then provides
for initial terms of office for members of the BPU.� Thereafter, any
appointment to the BPU will be for six years and the terms are required to
remain staggered.
���� Additionally, this bill
requires certain members of the BPU to have certain experience.� Under the
bill, at least one member of the BPU is required to have experience in energy
affordability and consumer protection.� Additionally, at least one member of the
BPU is required to have experience in grid engineering, utility operation, or
emergency reliability.