Assembly Bill A6207A

Signed By Governor
2021-2022 Legislative Session

Requires the release of individuals from utility, phone and television contracts in instances of domestic violence; repealer

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status Via S7157 - Signed by Governor


  • 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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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2021-A6207 - Details

Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §48-a, amd §91, Pub Serv L; add §399-cccc, amd §§399-yy & 399-yyy, Gen Bus L

2021-A6207 - Summary

Requires the release of individuals from utility, phone and television contracts in instances of domestic violence.

2021-A6207 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6207
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 10, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law and the general business law,  in
   relation  to  authorizing survivors of domestic violence to be removed
   from phone, cable, and satellite tv contracts

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.   Subdivisions 7 and 8 of section 91 of the public service
 law, subdivision 7 as added by chapter 202  of  the  laws  of  2013  and
 subdivision  8  as added by chapter 186 of the laws of 2019, are amended
 and a new subdivision 13 is added to read as follows:
   7. Every telephone corporation, as defined in this chapter  shall,  at
 its  option:  (a) allow a customer to use a modified or alternative name
 for a directory listing or (b) waive the  otherwise  applicable  charges
 for  a  non-published  telephone  listing,  where  the customer requests
 protection of its identity in connection with the customer's purchase of
 telephone service and the customer is a victim of domestic violence,  as
 defined in section four hundred fifty-nine-a of the social services law,
 and  for  whose  benefit any order of protection, other than a temporary
 order of protection, has been issued by a court of  competent  jurisdic-
 tion.  This  waiver of charges shall be for the duration of the applica-
 ble, non-temporary, order. Any non-published listings provided  in  this
 subdivision  shall  conform  to  all the same requirements of other non-
 published listings. A customer requesting such  an  accommodation  shall
 provide  [a  copy of the order of protection to the applicable telephone
 corporation] AN ATTESTATION IN WRITING OF THEIR ELIGIBILITY AS A  VICTIM
 OF  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE.  SUCH TELEPHONE CORPORATION MAY NOT REQUIRE SUCH
 CUSTOMER TO DISCLOSE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION  OR  DETAILS  RELATING  TO
 SUCH  CUSTOMER'S STATUS AS A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AS A CONDITION
 OF IMPLEMENTING SUCH ACCOMMODATION.  Any customer requesting an accommo-
 dation pursuant to this  subdivision  may  also  request  and  shall  be
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

co-Sponsors

2021-A6207A - Details

Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §48-a, amd §91, Pub Serv L; add §399-cccc, amd §§399-yy & 399-yyy, Gen Bus L

2021-A6207A - Summary

Requires the release of individuals from utility, phone and television contracts in instances of domestic violence.

2021-A6207A - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6207--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 10, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  L. ROSENTHAL, GLICK, SIMON, BARRON, FORREST,
   FAHY, FRONTUS, OTIS -- read once and  referred  to  the  Committee  on
   Corporations,  Authorities and Commissions -- reported and referred to
   the Committee on Codes -- committee discharged, bill amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN  ACT to amend the public service law and the general business law, in
   relation to requiring the release of individuals from  utility,  phone
   and television contracts in instances of domestic violence
 
   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
 48-a to read as follows:
   §  48-A. UTILITY SERVICES; DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS. 1. EVERY UTILITY
 CORPORATION SHALL ALLOW A PERSON WHO IS UNDER  A  SHARED  CONTRACT  WITH
 SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION TO OPT-OUT OF SUCH CONTRACT WITHOUT FEE, PENAL-
 TY  OR  CHARGE  WHEN  SUCH  PERSON  IS A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND
 PROVIDES AN ATTESTATION IN WRITING OF THEIR ELIGIBILITY AS A  VICTIM  OF
 DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE. SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION MAY NOT REQUIRE SUCH PERSON
 TO  DISCLOSE  CONFIDENTIAL  INFORMATION  OR  DETAILS  RELATING  TO  SUCH
 PERSON'S  STATUS  AS  A  VICTIM  OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AS A CONDITION OF
 PERMITTING SUCH PERSON TO OPT-OUT OF SUCH CONTRACT. FURTHER, SUCH UTILI-
 TY CORPORATION MAY NOT MAKE RELEASE FROM SUCH  CONTRACT  CONTINGENT  ON:
 (A)  MAINTAINING  CONTRACTUAL  OR  BILLING RESPONSIBILITY OF A SEPARATED
 ACCOUNT WITH THE PROVIDER; (B) APPROVAL OF SEPARATION BY  THE    PRIMARY
 ACCOUNT  HOLDER,  IF THE PRIMARY ACCOUNT HOLDER IS NOT THE PERSON MAKING
 SUCH REQUEST; OR (C) A PROHIBITION OR LIMITATION ON THE SEPARATION AS  A
 RESULT OF ARREARS ACCRUED BY THE ACCOUNT. SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION SHALL
 RELEASE  SUCH  PERSON  FROM SUCH CONTRACT NO LATER THAN SEVEN DAYS AFTER
 RECEIVING SUCH OPT-OUT REQUEST. SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION  SHALL  DISPOSE
 OF  INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY SUCH PERSON NO LATER THAN THIRTY DAYS AFTER
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09720-02-1
              

co-Sponsors

2021-A6207B (ACTIVE) - Details

Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §48-a, amd §91, Pub Serv L; add §399-cccc, amd §§399-yy & 399-yyy, Gen Bus L

2021-A6207B (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the release of individuals from utility, phone and television contracts in instances of domestic violence.

2021-A6207B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6207--B
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 10, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, GLICK, SIMON, FORREST, FAHY, FRON-
   TUS, OTIS, QUART -- read once and referred to the Committee on  Corpo-
   rations,  Authorities  and Commissions -- reported and referred to the
   Committee on Codes --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted  as amended and recommitted to said committee -- recommitted
   to the Committee on Codes in accordance with Assembly Rule 3,  sec.  2
   --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
   and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law and the general business law,  in
   relation  to  requiring the release of individuals from utility, phone
   and television contracts in instances of  domestic  violence;  and  to
   repeal certain provisions of the public service law relating thereto
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 48-a of the public service law is  REPEALED  and  a
 new section 48-a is added to read as follows:
   §  48-A. UTILITY SERVICES; DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS. 1. EVERY UTILITY
 CORPORATION SHALL ALLOW A PERSON WHO IS UNDER  A  SHARED  CONTRACT  WITH
 SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION TO OPT-OUT OF SUCH CONTRACT WITHOUT FEE, PENAL-
 TY  OR  CHARGE  WHEN  SUCH  PERSON  IS A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND
 PROVIDES AN ATTESTATION IN WRITING OF THEIR ELIGIBILITY AS A  VICTIM  OF
 DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE. SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION MAY NOT REQUIRE SUCH PERSON
 TO  DISCLOSE  CONFIDENTIAL  INFORMATION  OR  DETAILS  RELATING  TO  SUCH
 PERSON'S  STATUS  AS  A  VICTIM  OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AS A CONDITION OF
 PERMITTING SUCH PERSON TO OPT-OUT OF SUCH CONTRACT. FURTHER, SUCH UTILI-
 TY CORPORATION MAY NOT MAKE RELEASE FROM SUCH  CONTRACT  CONTINGENT  ON:
 (A)  MAINTAINING  CONTRACTUAL  OR  BILLING RESPONSIBILITY OF A SEPARATED
 ACCOUNT WITH THE PROVIDER; (B) APPROVAL OF SEPARATION BY  THE    PRIMARY
 ACCOUNT  HOLDER,  IF THE PRIMARY ACCOUNT HOLDER IS NOT THE PERSON MAKING
 SUCH REQUEST; OR (C) A PROHIBITION OR LIMITATION ON THE SEPARATION AS  A
 RESULT OF ARREARS ACCRUED BY THE ACCOUNT. SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION SHALL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09720-04-2
              

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