Senate Bill S7157

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 - 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

2021-S7157 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A6207
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-S7157 - Summary

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

2021-S7157 - Sponsor Memo

2021-S7157 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7157
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               June 3, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 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
 RECEIVING SUCH INFORMATION IN A MANNER AS TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY OF
 SUCH INFORMATION.
   2.  EVERY UTILITY CORPORATION SHALL MAKE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OPTIONS
 AND PROCESS DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION READILY  AVAIL-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

co-Sponsors

2021-S7157A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A6207
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-S7157A (ACTIVE) - Summary

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

2021-S7157A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S7157A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7157--A
     Cal. No. 376
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               June 3, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules  --  recommitted  to
   the  Committee  on  Energy  and  Telecommunications in accordance with
   Senate Rule 6, sec. 8  --  reported  favorably  from  said  committee,
   ordered  to  first  and  second  report,  ordered  to a third reading,
   amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place  in  the  order  of
   third reading
 
 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
 RELEASE SUCH PERSON FROM SUCH CONTRACT NO LATER THAN  SEVEN  DAYS  AFTER
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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