Assembly Bill A711

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Requires debt collectors to inform debtors that written communications are available in large print format

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2019-A711 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S4394
Current Committee:
Senate Rules
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§600 & 602, add §601-b, Gen Bus L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2011-2012: A5438
2013-2014: A374, S5386
2015-2016: A1933, S2515
2017-2018: A5237, A7860, S2199
2021-2022: A2260, S737

2019-A711 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires debt collectors to inform debtors in each initial communication that written communications are available in large print format.

2019-A711 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    711
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. NIOU, WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring  debt
   collectors to inform debtors that written communications are available
   in large print format

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 600 of the  general  business  law  is  amended  by
 adding three new subdivisions 5, 6 and 7 to read as follows:
   5. "COMMUNICATION" SHALL MEAN THE CONVEYING OF INFORMATION REGARDING A
 DEBT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO ANY PERSON THROUGH ANY MEDIUM.
   6.  "DEBT" MEANS ANY OBLIGATION OR ALLEGED OBLIGATION OF A CONSUMER TO
 PAY MONEY ARISING OUT OF A TRANSACTION IN  WHICH  THE  MONEY,  PROPERTY,
 INSURANCE,  OR  SERVICES  WHICH  ARE  THE SUBJECT OF THE TRANSACTION ARE
 PRIMARILY FOR PERSONAL, FAMILY, OR HOUSEHOLD PURPOSES,  WHETHER  OR  NOT
 SUCH OBLIGATION HAS BEEN REDUCED TO JUDGMENT.
   7.  "DEBT  COLLECTOR"  MEANS  AN INDIVIDUAL WHO, AS PART OF HIS OR HER
 JOB, REGULARLY COLLECTS OR ATTEMPTS TO COLLECT DEBTS: (A) OWED OR DUE OR
 ASSERTED TO BE OWED OR DUE TO ANOTHER; OR (B) OBTAINED BY,  OR  ASSIGNED
 TO,  SUCH PERSON, FIRM OR CORPORATION, THAT ARE IN DEFAULT WHEN OBTAINED
 OR ACQUIRED BY SUCH PERSON, FIRM OR CORPORATION.
   § 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 601-b
 to read as follows:
   § 601-B. LARGE PRINT NOTICES. 1. EACH AND EVERY PRINCIPAL CREDITOR  OR
 DEBT  COLLECTOR  SHALL,  IN  EACH  INITIAL  COMMUNICATION,  CLEARLY  AND
 CONSPICUOUSLY DISCLOSE TO THE DEBTOR THAT  WRITTEN  COMMUNICATIONS  FROM
 THE  PRINCIPAL  CREDITOR  OR  DEBT  COLLECTOR MAY BE RECEIVED IN A LARGE
 PRINT FORMAT. UPON WRITTEN REQUEST BY A DEBTOR, THE  PRINCIPAL  CREDITOR
 OR  DEBT  COLLECTOR  MUST  PROVIDE ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SENT TO THE
 DEBTOR IN THE LARGE PRINT FORMAT.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

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