NY Pub Serv L § 36 (2021)
2021 New York Laws PBS - Public Service Article 2 - Residential Gas, Electric and Steam Utility Service 36 - Residential Service Deposits.

§ 36. Residential  service  deposits.  1.  On and after January first,   nineteen hundred eighty-two,  no  utility  corporation  or  municipality   shall  require  any  new  residential customer, other than a seasonal or   short term customer, to post  a  security  deposit  as  a  condition  of   receiving  utility  service.  In  addition,  no  utility  corporation or   municipality shall after the first day of  September,  nineteen  hundred   eighty-two,  or  such  earlier  date  as  the  commission may determine,   require a current residential customer to post a security deposit  other   than such a customer who is delinquent according to standards set by the   commission.  Deposits  held  on  the  first  day  of September, nineteen   hundred  eighty-two,  or  such  earlier  date  as  the  commission   may   determine,  shall be returned to the customer immediately, but not later   than the next bill for service; provided, however, that  this  provision   shall  not  apply  to  deposits  of  delinquent  customers.  No  utility   corporation or municipality shall require any known recipient of  public   assistance,  supplemental  security  income benefits or additional state   payments to post a security deposit as a condition of receiving service.2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this  section,   the  commission,  after  investigation  and  hearing,  may authorize any   utility  corporation  or  municipality  to  require  and  hold  security   deposits  from  residential  customers  or applicants for service upon a   finding that the collection and maintenance of  such  deposits  is  cost   effective  to the utility as a whole without regard to cash flow and the   availability of capital.3. In any case where customer deposits are authorized by this section,   a  utility  corporation  or  municipality  may  require  a  customer  or   applicant  for service to deposit a reasonable sum of money according to   the estimated quantity of such services necessary to supply the customer   or applicant for service for two months,  to  secure  payment  for  such   services  actually  rendered, or for the rental of fixtures, instruments   and facilities actually supplied. Every  such  utility  corporation  and   municipality shall allow to every such customer or applicant for service   interest  on the sum deposited at a rate per annum to be prescribed from   time to time and at least annually by the commission in light of current   economic conditions and current charges paid for moneys borrowed by such   utility, taking into account the expenses incurred by  such  utility  in   obtaining,  handling,  returning  or  crediting  the sum deposited. Such   interest shall be paid upon the return of the deposit, provided however,   that whenever such deposit has been held for a period of one  year,  the   interest  shall  be credited to the customer or applicant for service on   the first billing for utility service rendered after  the  end  of  such   period.  If a customer or applicant for service is not delinquent in the   payment of any billing during such one year period, the deposit shall be   refunded promptly at the end thereof, without prejudice to the utility's   or municipality's right to require a deposit thereafter in the event  of   a  delinquency. All utility corporations and municipalities shall exempt   from deposit requirements any customer or applicant for service  who  is   sixty-two  years  of  age or older, unless the customer or applicant for   service is  a  bad  credit  risk  according  to  standards  set  by  the   commission.