that allows you to keep or get returned an analog meter
Time to increase our voices at the
Senate Consumer Protection Committee!
5/16/23
Dear Friends of Safe Technology and Utility Metering,
We have gotten word that Senator Harckham’s bill S5632 that provides for consumer protection and utility meter choice might be coming up for a vote in Senator Kevin Thomas’ Committee on Consumer Protection very soon.
We need to call and write the members of the Consumer Protection Committee and let them know that we have a real interest in getting this bill passed!
Also it is important to mention that there is an alternate bill S404 introduced by Senator Kevin Parker (once again) which offers something of a fake ‘opt out,’ that still allows for a 1-way transmitting meter, and refers to toothless FCC and ANSI standards, which never created standards specific for digital meters. See NYSUMA’s very helpful comparison below you can also share with your legislators:
This watered down bill procured a companion bill–rather miraculously quickly–in the Assembly, sponsored by Energy Committee Chair Didi Barrett, co-sponsored by AM Rebecca Seawright, AM William Conrad, and AM John T. McDonald. We need to warn the representatives that this is not much of a remedy at all, and underlines the need for S5632 all the more.
Another thing to note is that two Senators on the Consumer Protection Committee (indicated below) are also on the Energy & Telecommunications Committee and perhaps have a conflict of interest between the two bills, one favoring industry, and the other consumers.
There is another deceptive bill that is sitting in the Energy & Telecommunications Committee, and that is, S5287, which calls for the utilities to study the potential health effects of smart meters, introduced by Senator Kevin Parker and co-sponsored by Senator Pete Harckham, who we are thankful for his S5632 Opt Out Bill, and Senator Zellnor Myrie, who is on the Consumer Protection Committee. Although we can see why they think this sounds like a good idea, the utilities have not proven themselves to be honest about their research and simply cannot be trusted to do due diligence. And we already have decades of peer-reviewed research on microwave radiation, as well as the more recent New Hampshire Commission’s Report.
Please take 10-15 minutes to call state legislators listed below.
Sample script to promote S5632:
“Please help S5632 get through the Consumer Protection Committee right away. We’ve been waiting over 10 years for effective regulations on smart meters and this is the best yet. It allows for “analog choice”. Please co-sponsor it and help get it passed into law in the remaining weeks of the legislative session.”
Sample script to oppose S404 and S2587:
“Please oppose S404. It falls far short of what’s needed for effective protections on the many pitfalls of smart meters, which could all be avoided. Also, please oppose S2587 which calls for studies on smart meters. This is completely unnecessary because we have decades of peer-reviewed research on the dangers of microwave radiation, and harms caused by smart meters. New Hampshire already did a major study which resulted in comprehensive guidelines. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. “
Thank you!
NY4WT
CONSUMER PROTECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Please vote YES on S5632 / NO on S404
https://www.nysenate.gov/committees/consumer-protection
COMMITTEE CHAIR
Kevin Thomas
(D) DISTRICT 6
CONTACT SENATOR
DISTRICT OFFICE
990 Stewart Ave.,
Suite LL45A
Garden City, NY 11530
Phone: (516) 739-1700
Fax: (516) 747-7430
ALBANY OFFICE
Legislative Office Bldg., Room 947
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: (518) 455-3260
Fax: (518) 426-6783
EMAIL ADDRESS:
thomas@nysenate.gov
RANKING MEMBER
Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick
(R, C)
DISTRICT 9
ALBANY OFFICE
Legislative Office Building, Room 415
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: 518-455-2400
Fax: 518-426-6780
DISTRICT OFFICE
55 Front Street,
Suites 1 & 2,
Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Phone: 516-766-8383
Fax: 516-766-8011
EMAIL ADDRESS:
canzoneri@nysenate.gov
Samra G. Brouk
(D, WF)
DISTRICT 55
DISTRICT OFFICE
274 N. Goodman Street
Suite B127
Rochester, NY 14607
Phone: 585-223-1800
ALBANY OFFICE
188 State Street
Legislative Office Building, Room 812
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: 518-455-2215
EMAIL ADDRESS:
brouk@nysenate.gov
Kristen Gonzalez — also on the Energy & Telecommunications Committee
(D, WF)
DISTRICT 59
ALBANY OFFICE
Legislative Office Building, Room 817
198 State St
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: 518-455-3250
Fax: 518-426-6785
DISTRICT OFFICE
Phone: (718) 765-6674
EMAIL ADDRESS:
gonzalez@nysenate.gov
Brian Kavanagh — also on the Energy & Telecommunications Committee
(D)
DISTRICT 27
MANHATTAN OFFICE
250 Broadway
Room 2011
New York, NY 10007
Phone: 212-298-5565
Fax: 212-431-7836
BROOKLYN OFFICE
209 Joralemon Street, Suite 300
Brooklyn Borough Hall
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-875-1517
ALBANY OFFICE
Legislative Office Building
Room 512
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: 518-455-2625
Fax: 518-426-6956
EMAIL ADDRESS:
kavanagh@nysenate.gov
Zellnor Myrie — also a co-sponsor of problematic S5287, which calls for biased utilities to study health effectsof smart meters
(D)
DISTRICT 20
ALBANY OFFICE
188 State Street., Legislative Office Bldg.
Room806
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: 518-455-2410
Fax: 518-426-6856
DISTRICT OFFICE
1077 Nostrand Ave.
Ground Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11225
Phone: 718-284-4700
Fax: 718-282-3585
Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm
EMAIL ADDRESS:
myrie@nysenate.gov
Bill Weber
(R, C)
DISTRICT 38
ALBANY OFFICE
Legislative Office Building, Room 504
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: 518-455-2991
Fax: 518-426-6737
DISTRICT OFFICE
163 Airport Executive Park
Nanuet , NY 10954
Phone: 845-623-3627
Fax: 845-425-4617
EMAIL ADDRESS:
weber@nysenate.gov
New Yorkers 4 Wired Tech 