Requires public utilities de-privatization study; appropriates $100,000.

This bill requires the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to hire an independent third party to study the feasibility and potential cost savings of returning public utilities to public ownership. The study will examine options such as full or partial acquisition by state entities, joint ownership arrangements, and the financial and environmental impacts on ratepayers and the state budget. Utilities and public agencies must cooperate with the study by providing requested information, and the board must submit a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year. The legislation also appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to cover the cost of conducting this study.