S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7092
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 10, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. CHANDLER-WATERMAN -- read once and referred to
   the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law and the administrative code  of
   the city of New York, in relation to requiring storage warehouse oper-
   ators to maintain lock boxes for storage of official documents in each
   rental unit

   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
 607-b to read as follows:
   § 607-B.  STORAGE OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. 1. IN ADDITION TO  ANY  OTHER
 PROVISION OF THIS ARTICLE, EVERY WAREHOUSEMAN SHALL MAINTAIN WITHIN EACH
 STORAGE  UNIT,  AT NO EXTRA CHARGE, A SEPARATE LOCK BOX FOR THE CUSTOMER
 RENTING SUCH STORAGE UNIT TO STORE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS  ISSUED
 BY  THE  UNITED STATES OR BY ANOTHER COUNTRY OR TERRITORY, INCLUDING BUT
 NOT LIMITED TO BIRTH  CERTIFICATES,  MARRIAGE  CERTIFICATES,  PASSPORTS,
 VISAS  AND  IMMIGRATION  DOCUMENTS,  SEPARATELY  FROM OTHER ITEMS IN THE
 STORAGE UNIT.   A WAREHOUSEMAN  SHALL  NOT  RETAIN  OR  DISPOSE  OF  THE
 CONTENTS OF SUCH LOCK BOX REGARDLESS OF NON-PAYMENT OF UNIT RENTAL FEES.
 NO  WAREHOUSEMAN  MAY  INCLUDE  DOCUMENTS  STORED IN THE LOCK BOX IN THE
 AUCTION OF THE CONTENTS OF THE STORAGE UNIT IN THE EVENT OF  NON-PAYMENT
 OF UNIT RENTAL FEES.
   2.  IT  SHALL  CONSTITUTE  AN  UNLAWFUL DETENTION OF GOODS FOR A WARE-
 HOUSEMAN TO REFUSE TO SURRENDER  DOCUMENTS  STORED  IN  A  LOCK  BOX  AS
 PROVIDED  IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION TO THE RENTER OF SUCH STOR-
 AGE UNIT.
   § 2. Section 20-477 of the administrative code of the city of New York
 is amended to read as follows:
   § 20-477 Duties of warehouse  operator.  A.  Every  storage  warehouse
 operator  shall  comply with the provisions of this subchapter and regu-
 lations promulgated by the commissioner setting forth  requirements  for
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00309-01-3
              

 A. 7092                             2
 
 estimates  and  any other rules and regulations promulgated to implement
 and enforce this subchapter.
   B.  (1)  EVERY  STORAGE  WAREHOUSE  SHALL MAINTAIN WITHIN EACH STORAGE
 UNIT, AT NO EXTRA CHARGE, A SEPARATE LOCK BOX FOR THE  CUSTOMER  RENTING
 SUCH  STORAGE  UNIT  TO  STORE  OFFICIAL  DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY THE UNITED
 STATES OR BY ANOTHER COUNTRY OR TERRITORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED  TO
 BIRTH  CERTIFICATES,  MARRIAGE  CERTIFICATES, PASSPORTS, VISAS AND IMMI-
 GRATION DOCUMENTS, SEPARATELY FROM OTHER ITEMS IN THE  STORAGE  UNIT.  A
 STORAGE  WAREHOUSE  SHALL  NOT RETAIN OR DISPOSE OF THE CONTENTS OF SUCH
 LOCK BOX REGARDLESS OF NON-PAYMENT OF UNIT  RENTAL  FEES.    NO  STORAGE
 WAREHOUSE MAY INCLUDE DOCUMENTS STORED IN THE LOCK BOX IN THE AUCTION OF
 THE  CONTENTS  OF  THE  STORAGE UNIT IN THE EVENT OF NON-PAYMENT OF UNIT
 RENTAL FEES.
   (2) IT  SHALL  CONSTITUTE  AN  UNLAWFUL DETENTION OF GOODS FOR A STOR-
 AGE WAREHOUSE TO REFUSE TO SURRENDER DOCUMENTS STORED IN A LOCK  BOX  AS
 PROVIDED  IN  PARAGRAPH  ONE  OF  THIS SUBDIVISION TO THE RENTER OF SUCH
 STORAGE UNIT.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.