Bill would permit online utility bill payment

A measure making its way through the legislature would allow New Jersey residents to pay their utility bills online.

Electronic payments are now used for credit card, phone and cable bills and Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula says consumers should also be able to pay their water, gas, and electric bills online.

Chivukula: He’s the primary sponsor of legislation that would authorize companies regulated by the Board of Public Utilities to allow customers to make those payments electronically.

It’s not only convenience. It’s also efficiency. I think this will cut down all the kinds of errors and there won’t be any dispute whether they have paid, they have paid on time, the late fees, all those things it will be avoiding.”

Chivuluka says the measure would spur utility companies to develop their information technology system to enable online payments.

The measure has cleared an Assembly Committee. So far no action has been taken on it in the Senate.