S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8162
I N S E N A T E
January 27, 2022
___________
Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting
certain debt arrears from being reported to consumer reporting agen-
cies
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
399-zzzzzz to read as follows:
§ 399-ZZZZZZ. PROHIBITION ON REPORTING OF CERTAIN DEBT ARREARS. 1. NO
PERSON, FIRM, PARTNERSHIP, ASSOCIATION OR CORPORATION SHALL REPORT DEBT
ARREARS OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHICH ARE DUE TO A COVID-19 RELATED HARDSHIP TO
A CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY AS DEFINED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-A
OF THIS CHAPTER.
2. DEBT ARREARS REPORTED IN VIOLATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION
ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE EXPUNGED FROM THE FILE, AS DEFINED IN
SECTION THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-A OF THIS CHAPTER, OF ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO
FILES A DISPUTE REGARDING SUCH DEBT ARREARS PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE
HUNDRED EIGHTY-F OF THIS CHAPTER.
3. AS USED IN THIS SECTION "COVID-19 RELATED HARDSHIP" MEANS:
(A) A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEM-
IC.
(B) INCREASE IN NECESSARY OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES RELATED TO PERFORMING
ESSENTIAL WORK OR RELATED TO HEALTH IMPACTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEM-
IC.
(C) CHILDCARE RESPONSIBILITIES OR RESPONSIBILITIES TO CARE FOR AN
ELDERLY, DISABLED, OR SICK FAMILY MEMBER DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
HAVE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED THE ABILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR THE ABILITY OF
SOMEONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO OBTAIN MEANINGFUL EMPLOY-
MENT OR EARN INCOME OR INCREASED SUCH INDIVIDUAL'S NECESSARY OUT-OF-
POCKET EXPENSES.
(D) OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAVE NEGA-
TIVELY AFFECTED THE INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO OBTAIN MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14489-01-2
S. 8162 2
OR EARN INCOME OR HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE INDIVIDUAL'S HOUSEHOLD
INCOME OR SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED SUCH INDIVIDUAL'S EXPENSES.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
have become a law.