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Gov. Cuomo Takes Steps To Hold Utility Companies Accountable For Storm Response

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced new legislation Wednesday that holds utility companies accountable to provide reliable service.

The governor said it comes in response to widespread failures to prepare and respond to frequent and extreme weather events, like Tropical Storm Isaias.

The new legislation removes penalty caps for storm response violations. It also expedites and clarifies the franchise revocation process.

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"Many of these utility companies -- not all, but many -- have been abusive to the consumer," Cuomo said. "Remember, it's the consumer that pays the utility bill, and the consumer has a right to expect service for their payment."

FLASHBACK: Gov. Cuomo Says Utility Companies Face Steep Fines For Apparent Violations After Tropical Storm Isaias Response

If passed by the legislature, the new law would also require a plan to better communicate with customers during an outage.

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