S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2989
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 23, 2017
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring cable
television companies, internet service providers and telephone corpo-
rations to automatically refund customers when their systems are out
of service or experiencing an outage, or when a customer's equipment
is not operating correctly
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section
224-c to read as follows:
§ 224-C. CABLE REFUNDS. EVERY CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY, AS DEFINED IN
SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWELVE OF THIS ARTICLE THAT PROVIDES CABLE SERVICE
TO CUSTOMERS IN NEW YORK SHALL AUTOMATICALLY CREDIT ITS CUSTOMERS BILL-
ING STATEMENT WHENEVER A CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEM IS OUT OF SERVICE OR IS
EXPERIENCING AN OUTAGE OR WHEN THE CUSTOMER'S CABLE BOX IS NOT OPERATING
CORRECTLY, FOR A PERIOD OF TWELVE HOURS OR LONGER.
§ 2. The article heading of article 11 of the public service law, as
added by chapter 83 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
PROVISIONS RELATING TO CABLE TELEVISION
AND INTERNET COMPANIES
§ 3. Section 212 of the public service law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 15 to read as follows:
15. "INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER" SHALL MEAN ANY PERSON, BUSINESS OR
ORGANIZATION QUALIFIED TO DO BUSINESS IN THIS STATE THAT PROVIDES INDI-
VIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, OR OTHER ENTITIES WITH THE ABILITY TO CONNECT TO
THE INTERNET.
§ 4. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 224-d
to read as follows:
§ 224-D. INTERNET REFUNDS. EVERY INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER, AS DEFINED
IN SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWELVE OF THIS ARTICLE THAT PROVIDES INTERNET
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07433-01-7
A. 2989 2
SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS IN NEW YORK SHALL AUTOMATICALLY CREDIT ITS CUSTOM-
ERS BILLING STATEMENT WHENEVER THE INTERNET SERVICE IS OUT OF SERVICE OR
IS EXPERIENCING AN OUTAGE, FOR A PERIOD OF TWELVE HOURS OR LONGER.
§ 5. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 92-h to
read as follows:
§ 92-H. TELEPHONE REFUNDS. EVERY TELEPHONE CORPORATION, AS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION SEVENTEEN OF SECTION TWO OF THIS CHAPTER, THAT PROVIDES
TELEPHONE SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS IN NEW YORK SHALL AUTOMATICALLY CREDIT
ITS CUSTOMERS BILLING STATEMENT WHENEVER THE TELEPHONE SERVICE IS OUT OF
SERVICE OR IS EXPERIENCING AN OUTAGE, FOR A PERIOD OF TWELVE HOURS OR
LONGER.
§ 6. This act shall take effect immediately.