S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7772
I N S E N A T E
February 18, 2020
___________
Introduced by Sen. THOMAS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the general obligations law, in relation to the validity
of mandatory arbitration clauses on tickets issued by a common carrier
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The general obligations law is amended by adding a new
section 5-338 to read as follows:
§ 5-338. VALIDITY OF CERTAIN CONTRACTS PRINTED ON TICKETS. 1. NO
COVENANT, AGREEMENT OR UNDERSTANDING IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH, OR COLLA-
TERAL TO, ANY CONTRACT, TICKET OR SIMILAR WRITING, ENTERED INTO BETWEEN
THE OWNER OR OPERATOR OF A COMMON CARRIER OR A COMMON CARRIER OF PASSEN-
GERS BY MOTOR VEHICLE IN THIS STATE, AND A PASSENGER OF SUCH COMMON
CARRIER, SHALL CONTAIN A MANDATORY ARBITRATION CLAUSE FOR CLAIMS OR
DISPUTES ALLEGING NEGLIGENCE OF THE OWNER, OPERATOR OR PERSON IN CHARGE
OF SUCH COMMON CARRIER, OR THEIR AGENTS, SERVANTS OR EMPLOYEES. ANY
SUCH MANDATORY ARBITRATION CLAUSE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE VOID AS AGAINST
PUBLIC POLICY AND WHOLLY UNENFORCEABLE; PROVIDED THAT ANY SUCH ARBI-
TRATION CLAUSE SHALL BE CONSIDERED SEVERABLE, AND ALL OTHER PROVISIONS
OF THE CONTRACT SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT AND GIVEN FULL FORCE.
2. THE TERM "MANDATORY ARBITRATION CLAUSE" SHALL MEAN A TERM OR
PROVISION WHICH REQUIRES THE PARTIES TO SUCH CONTRACT TO SUBMIT ANY
CONTROVERSY THEREAFTER ARISING UNDER SUCH CONTRACT TO ARBITRATION PRIOR
TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF ANY LEGAL ACTION TO ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS OF
SUCH CONTRACT AND WHICH ALSO FURTHER PROVIDES LANGUAGE TO THE EFFECT
THAT THE DECISION OF THE ARBITRATOR OR PANEL OF ARBITRATORS IN ITS
APPLICATION TO THE CONSUMER PARTY SHALL BE FINAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO
COURT REVIEW.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14792-02-0