Assembly Bill A9415

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9415
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             December 19, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. K. BROWN, GIGLIO, REILLY, McDONOUGH, DeSTEFANO,
   MAHER, HAWLEY, E. BROWN -- read once and referred to the Committee  on
   Consumer Affairs and Protection
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  general business law, in relation to protecting
   minors online from social media and harmful content

   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 article
 45-A to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 45-A
                         PROTECTING MINORS ONLINE
 SECTION 1510. DEFINITIONS.
         1511. MINORS AS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM ACCOUNT HOLDERS.
         1512. CONTENT HARMFUL TO MINORS.
         1513. AGE VERIFICATION.
         1514. ENFORCEMENT.
   §  1510.  DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1. "ACCOUNT HOLDER" MEANS A RESIDENT WHO OPENS AN ACCOUNT OR CREATES A
 PROFILE OR IS IDENTIFIED BY THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM BY A UNIQUE  IDEN-
 TIFIER  WHILE USING OR ACCESSING A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM WHEN THE SOCIAL
 MEDIA PLATFORM KNOWS OR HAS REASON TO BELIEVE THE RESIDENT IS LOCATED IN
 THIS STATE.
   2. "ANONYMOUS AGE VERIFICATION" MEANS A COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE METHOD
 USED BY A GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR A BUSINESS FOR THE PURPOSE OF AGE VERIFI-
 CATION WHICH IS CONDUCTED BY A NONGOVERNMENTAL, INDEPENDENT THIRD  PARTY
 ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS OF A STATE OF THE UNITED STATES WHICH:
   (A)  HAS  ITS  PRINCIPAL  PLACE  OF  BUSINESS IN A STATE OF THE UNITED
 STATES; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14069-01-5
 A. 9415                             2
 
              

   (B) IS NOT OWNED OR CONTROLLED BY A COMPANY FORMED IN A FOREIGN  COUN-
 TRY,  A GOVERNMENT OF A FOREIGN COUNTRY, OR ANY OTHER ENTITY FORMED IN A
 FOREIGN COUNTRY.
   3. "DAILY ACTIVE USERS" MEANS THE NUMBER OF UNIQUE USERS IN THE UNITED
 STATES WHO USED THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM AT LEAST EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE
 DAYS DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS, OR, IF THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM
 DID  NOT  EXIST  DURING  THE ENTIRETY OF THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS, THE
 NUMBER OF UNIQUE USERS IN THE UNITED STATES WHO USED  THE  SOCIAL  MEDIA
 PLATFORM AT LEAST EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE DAYS DURING THE PREVIOUS MONTH.
   4.  "DISTRIBUTE"  MEANS TO ISSUE, SELL, GIVE, PROVIDE, DELIVER, TRANS-
 FER, TRANSMIT, CIRCULATE, OR DISSEMINATE BY ANY MEANS.
   5. "MATERIAL HARMFUL TO MINORS" MEANS ANY MATERIAL THAT:
   (A) THE AVERAGE PERSON APPLYING CONTEMPORARY COMMUNITY STANDARDS WOULD
 FIND, TAKEN AS A WHOLE, APPEALS TO THE PRURIENT INTEREST;
   (B) DEPICTS OR DESCRIBES, IN A PATENTLY OFFENSIVE WAY, SEXUAL CONDUCT;
 AND
   (C) WHEN TAKEN AS A WHOLE, LACKS  SERIOUS  LITERARY,  ARTISTIC,  POLI-
 TICAL, OR SCIENTIFIC VALUE FOR MINORS.
   6. "NEWS-GATHERING ORGANIZATION" MEANS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
   (A)  A  NEWSPAPER,  NEWS  PUBLICATION,  OR  NEWS  SOURCE,  PRINTED  OR
 PUBLISHED ONLINE OR ON A MOBILE PLATFORM, ENGAGED IN  REPORTING  CURRENT
 NEWS  AND  MATTERS  OF  PUBLIC INTEREST, AND AN EMPLOYEE THEREOF WHO CAN
 PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION OF SUCH EMPLOYMENT.
   (B) A RADIO BROADCAST STATION,  TELEVISION  BROADCAST  STATION,  CABLE
 TELEVISION  OPERATOR,  OR  WIRE SERVICE, AND AN EMPLOYEE THEREOF WHO CAN
 PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION OF SUCH EMPLOYMENT.
   7. "PUBLISH" MEANS TO COMMUNICATE OR  MAKE  INFORMATION  AVAILABLE  TO
 ANOTHER PERSON OR ENTITY ON A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WEBSITE OR APPLICATION.
   8. "RESIDENT" MEANS A PERSON WHO LIVES IN THIS STATE FOR MORE THAN SIX
 MONTHS OF THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS.
   9. "STANDARD AGE VERIFICATION" MEANS ANY COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE METH-
 OD OF AGE VERIFICATION APPROVED BY THE COMMERCIAL ENTITY.
   10.  "SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM" MEANS AN ONLINE FORUM, WEBSITE, OR APPLI-
 CATION THAT:
   (A) ALLOWS USERS TO UPLOAD CONTENT OR VIEW THE CONTENT OR ACTIVITY  OF
 OTHER USERS;
   (B) TEN PERCENT OR MORE OF THE DAILY ACTIVE USERS WHO ARE YOUNGER THAN
 SIXTEEN  YEARS  OF AGE SPEND ON AVERAGE TWO HOURS OR MORE PER DAY ON THE
 ONLINE FORUM, WEBSITE, OR APPLICATION ON THE DAYS WHEN USING THE  ONLINE
 FORUM,  WEBSITE, OR APPLICATION DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS OR, IF
 THE ONLINE FORUM, WEBSITE, OR  APPLICATION  DID  NOT  EXIST  DURING  THE
 PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS, DURING THE PREVIOUS MONTH;
   (C)  EMPLOYS ALGORITHMS THAT ANALYZE USER DATA OR INFORMATION ON USERS
 TO SELECT CONTENT FOR USERS; AND
   (D) HAS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ADDICTIVE FEATURES:
   (I) INFINITE SCROLLING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (A) CONTINUOUSLY LOADING CONTENT, OR CONTENT THAT LOADS  AS  THE  USER
 SCROLLS DOWN THE PAGE WITHOUT THE NEED TO OPEN A SEPARATE PAGE; OR
   (B)  SEAMLESS CONTENT, OR THE USE OF PAGES WITH NO VISIBLE OR APPARENT
 END OR PAGE BREAKS;
   (II) PUSH NOTIFICATIONS OR ALERTS SENT BY THE ONLINE  FORUM,  WEBSITE,
 OR  APPLICATION  TO  INFORM  A  USER ABOUT SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS
 RELATED TO THE USER'S ACCOUNT;
   (III) DISPLAYS PERSONAL INTERACTIVE METRICS THAT INDICATE  THE  NUMBER
 OF TIMES OTHER USERS HAVE CLICKED A BUTTON TO INDICATE THEIR REACTION TO
 CONTENT OR HAVE SHARED OR REPOSTED THE CONTENT;
 A. 9415                             3
 
   (IV)  AUTO-PLAY  VIDEO  OR  VIDEO THAT BEGINS TO PLAY WITHOUT THE USER
 FIRST CLICKING ON THE VIDEO OR ON A PLAY BUTTON FOR THAT VIDEO; OR
   (V)  LIVE-STREAMING  OR A FUNCTION THAT ALLOWS A USER OR ADVERTISER TO
 BROADCAST LIVE VIDEO CONTENT IN REAL-TIME.
   THE TERM "SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM" SHALL NOT INCLUDE AN ONLINE  SERVICE,
 WEBSITE,  OR APPLICATION WHERE THE EXCLUSIVE FUNCTION IS EMAIL OR DIRECT
 MESSAGING CONSISTING OF TEXT, PHOTOGRAPHS, PICTURES, IMAGES,  OR  VIDEOS
 SHARED ONLY BETWEEN THE SENDER AND THE RECIPIENTS, WITHOUT DISPLAYING OR
 POSTING  PUBLICLY  OR  TO OTHER USERS NOT SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED AS THE
 RECIPIENTS BY THE SENDER.
   11. "SUBSTANTIAL PORTION" MEANS MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF TOTAL  MATERIAL
 ON A WEBSITE OR APPLICATION.
   12. "YEARS OF AGE" MEANS:
   (A) THE ACTUAL VERIFIED YEARS OF AGE OF THE PERSON; OR
   (B) THE LIKELY YEARS OF AGE OF THE PERSON WHICH THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLAT-
 FORM  TREATS  OR  CATEGORIZES  THE  PERSON  AS FOR PURPOSES OF TARGETING
 CONTENT OR ADVERTISING.
   § 1511. MINORS AS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM ACCOUNT HOLDERS. 1. (A) SOCIAL
 MEDIA PLATFORMS SHALL PROHIBIT MINORS  WHO  ARE  YOUNGER  THAN  FOURTEEN
 YEARS  OF AGE FROM ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT WITH SUCH SOCIAL MEDIA PLAT-
 FORM TO BECOME ACCOUNT HOLDERS.
   (B) SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SHALL:
   (I) TERMINATE ANY ACCOUNT HELD BY AN ACCOUNT HOLDER YOUNGER THAN FOUR-
 TEEN YEARS OF AGE AND PROVIDE NINETY  DAYS  FOR  AN  ACCOUNT  HOLDER  TO
 DISPUTE  SUCH  TERMINATION.  IF  THE ACCOUNT HOLDER FAILS TO EFFECTIVELY
 DISPUTE THE TERMINATION, THE TERMINATION SHALL  BE  EFFECTIVE  UPON  THE
 EXPIRATION OF SUCH NINETY DAY PERIOD.
   (II)  ALLOW  AN  ACCOUNT  HOLDER YOUNGER THAN FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE TO
 EASILY REQUEST TO TERMINATE THE ACCOUNT. SUCH ACCOUNT  SHALL  BE  TERMI-
 NATED WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS OF SUCH REQUEST.
   (III) ALLOW A CONFIRMED PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF AN ACCOUNT HOLDER YOUNG-
 ER  THAN  FOURTEEN  YEARS  OF AGE TO REQUEST THAT THE MINOR'S ACCOUNT BE
 TERMINATED. SUCH ACCOUNT SHALL BE TERMINATED WITHIN TEN BUSINESS DAYS OF
 SUCH REQUEST.
   (IV) PERMANENTLY DELETE ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION HELD  BY  THE  SOCIAL
 MEDIA PLATFORM RELATING TO ANY SUCH TERMINATED ACCOUNT, UNLESS THERE ARE
 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO MAINTAIN SUCH INFORMATION.
   2.  (A)  SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SHALL PROHIBIT MINORS WHO ARE FOURTEEN
 OR FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE FROM ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT WITH  SUCH  SOCIAL
 MEDIA  PLATFORM  TO BECOME AN ACCOUNT HOLDER, UNLESS SUCH MINOR'S PARENT
 OR GUARDIAN PROVIDES CONSENT FOR SUCH MINOR TO BECOME AN ACCOUNT HOLDER.
   (B) A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM SHALL:
   (I) TERMINATE ANY ACCOUNT HELD BY AN ACCOUNT HOLDER WHO IS FOURTEEN OR
 FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE IF THE ACCOUNT HOLDER'S PARENT OR GUARDIAN HAS  NOT
 PROVIDED  CONSENT  FOR  THE  MINOR TO CREATE OR MAINTAIN THE ACCOUNT AND
 PROVIDE NINETY DAYS FOR AN ACCOUNT HOLDER TO DISPUTE  SUCH  TERMINATION.
 IF  THE ACCOUNT HOLDER FAILS TO EFFECTIVELY DISPUTE THE TERMINATION, THE
 TERMINATION SHALL BE EFFECTIVE UPON THE EXPIRATION OF  SUCH  NINETY  DAY
 PERIOD.
   (II)  ALLOW  AN ACCOUNT HOLDER WHO IS FOURTEEN OR FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE
 TO REQUEST TO TERMINATE THE ACCOUNT. SUCH ACCOUNT  SHALL  BE  TERMINATED
 WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS OF SUCH REQUEST.
   (III) ALLOW A CONFIRMED PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF AN ACCOUNT HOLDER WHO IS
 FOURTEEN  OR FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE TO REQUEST THAT THE MINOR'S ACCOUNT BE
 TERMINATED. SUCH ACCOUNT SHALL BE TERMINATED WITHIN TEN BUSINESS DAYS OF
 SUCH REQUEST.
 A. 9415                             4
 
   (IV) PERMANENTLY DELETE ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION HELD  BY  THE  SOCIAL
 MEDIA  PLATFORM  RELATING  TO  THE  TERMINATED ACCOUNT, UNLESS THERE ARE
 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO MAINTAIN SUCH INFORMATION.
   3.  IF A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION DETERMINES SUBDIVISION TWO OF
 THIS SECTION TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL OR OTHERWISE UNENFORCEABLE, SUBDIVI-
 SION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY TO MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF  SIXTEEN
 INSTEAD OF JUST MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF FOURTEEN.
   4.   THE   ATTORNEY  GENERAL  SHALL  MAINTAIN  A  WEBSITE  TO  RECEIVE
 COMPLAINTS, INFORMATION OR REFERRALS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CONCERN-
 ING A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM'S ALLEGED COMPLIANCE OR NON-COMPLIANCE  WITH
 THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.
   §  1512. CONTENT HARMFUL TO MINORS. 1. NO PERSON OR ENTITY SHALL KNOW-
 INGLY AND INTENTIONALLY PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE MATERIAL HARMFUL TO MINORS
 ON A WEBSITE OR APPLICATION WITHOUT USING EITHER ANONYMOUS AGE VERIFICA-
 TION OR STANDARD AGE VERIFICATION TO VERIFY THAT THE  AGE  OF  A  PERSON
 ATTEMPTING  TO ACCESS THE MATERIAL IS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AND
 PREVENT ACCESS TO SUCH MATERIAL BY A PERSON YOUNGER THAN EIGHTEEN  YEARS
 OF  AGE.    SUCH PERSON OR ENTITY SHALL OFFER ANONYMOUS AGE VERIFICATION
 AND STANDARD AGE VERIFICATION, AND A PERSON  ATTEMPTING  TO  ACCESS  THE
 MATERIAL MAY SELECT WHICH METHOD WILL BE USED TO VERIFY THEIR AGE.
   2.  THIS  SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO BONA FIDE NEWS OR PUBLIC INTEREST
 BROADCAST, WEBSITE VIDEO, REPORT, OR  EVENT  AND  DOES  NOT  AFFECT  THE
 RIGHTS OF A NEWS-GATHERING ORGANIZATION.
   3.  THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS, SEARCH
 ENGINES, CLOUD SERVICE PROVIDERS, OR THEIR  AFFILIATES  OR  SUBSIDIARIES
 SOLELY  FOR PROVIDING ACCESS OR CONNECTION TO OR FROM A WEBSITE OR OTHER
 INFORMATION OR CONTENT ON THE INTERNET OR A FACILITY, SYSTEM, OR NETWORK
 NOT UNDER THE PROVIDER'S CONTROL, INCLUDING  TRANSMISSION,  DOWNLOADING,
 INTERMEDIATE  STORAGE, OR ACCESS SOFTWARE, TO THE EXTENT THE PROVIDER IS
 NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CREATION OF THE  CONTENT  OF  THE  COMMUNICATION
 WHICH CONSTITUTES MATERIAL HARMFUL TO MINORS.
   § 1513. AGE VERIFICATION. ANY PERSON OR ENTITY CONDUCTING VERIFICATION
 PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE:
   (A)  SHALL  NOT RETAIN PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION USED TO VERIFY
 AGE ONCE THE AGE OF AN ACCOUNT HOLDER OR A PERSON SEEKING AN ACCOUNT HAS
 BEEN VERIFIED.
   (B) SHALL NOT USE PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION USED TO VERIFY  AGE
 FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE.
   (C)  SHALL KEEP ANONYMOUS ANY PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION USED TO
 VERIFY AGE. SUCH INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE SHARED OR  OTHERWISE  COMMUNI-
 CATED TO ANY PERSON.
   (D)  SHALL PROTECT PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION USED TO VERIFY AGE
 FROM UNAUTHORIZED OR ILLEGAL ACCESS, DESTRUCTION, USE, MODIFICATION,  OR
 DISCLOSURE  THROUGH  REASONABLE SECURITY PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES APPRO-
 PRIATE TO THE NATURE OF THE PERSONAL INFORMATION.
   § 1514. ENFORCEMENT. 1. (A) NO EARLIER THAN ONE  HUNDRED  EIGHTY  DAYS
 AFTER  THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF THIS ARTICLE, WHENEVER IT APPEARS TO THE
 ATTORNEY GENERAL, EITHER UPON COMPLAINT OR OTHERWISE, THAT ANY PERSON OR
 ENTITY, WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE STATE, HAS KNOWINGLY OR RECKLESSLY ENGAGED
 IN OR IS ABOUT TO ENGAGE IN ANY OF THE ACTS OR PRACTICES  STATED  TO  BE
 UNLAWFUL  IN  THIS  ARTICLE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY BRING AN ACTION OR
 SPECIAL PROCEEDING IN THE NAME AND ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE  STATE
 OF  NEW YORK TO ENJOIN ANY VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE, TO OBTAIN RESTITU-
 TION OF ANY MONEYS OR PROPERTY OBTAINED DIRECTLY OR  INDIRECTLY  BY  ANY
 SUCH  VIOLATION, TO OBTAIN DISGORGEMENT OF ANY PROFITS OR GAINS OBTAINED
 DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY ANY SUCH VIOLATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT  LIMITED
 A. 9415                             5
 
 TO THE DESTRUCTION OF UNLAWFULLY OBTAINED DATA, TO OBTAIN DAMAGES CAUSED
 DIRECTLY  OR INDIRECTLY BY ANY SUCH VIOLATION, TO OBTAIN CIVIL PENALTIES
 OF UP TO FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS PER VIOLATION, AND TO  OBTAIN  ANY  SUCH
 OTHER AND FURTHER RELIEF AS THE COURT MAY DEEM PROPER, INCLUDING PRELIM-
 INARY RELIEF. WHERE THE PERSON OR ENTITY'S ACTIONS DEMONSTRATE A PATTERN
 OF  KNOWING  AND RECKLESS CONDUCT IN VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE, PUNITIVE
 DAMAGES MAY BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE PERSON OR ENTITY.
   (B) NO EARLIER THAN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS AFTER THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE
 OF THIS ARTICLE, A CIVIL ACTION MAY BE BROUGHT BY A MINOR ACCOUNT HOLDER
 AGAINST A PERSON OR ENTITY, WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE STATE, WHICH HAS KNOW-
 INGLY OR RECKLESSLY ENGAGED IN ANY OF THE ACTS OR PRACTICES STATED TO BE
 UNLAWFUL IN THIS ARTICLE TO OBTAIN RESTITUTION OF ANY MONEYS OR PROPERTY
 OBTAINED  DIRECTLY  OR  INDIRECTLY  BY  ANY  SUCH  VIOLATION,  TO OBTAIN
 DISGORGEMENT OF ANY PROFITS OR GAINS OBTAINED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY  BY
 ANY  SUCH  VIOLATION,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO THE DESTRUCTION OF
 UNLAWFULLY OBTAINED DATA, TO OBTAIN DAMAGES CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECT-
 LY BY ANY SUCH VIOLATION, TO OBTAIN CIVIL PENALTIES OF UP TO  TEN  THOU-
 SAND  DOLLARS  PER  VIOLATION,  AND TO OBTAIN ANY SUCH OTHER AND FURTHER
 RELIEF AS THE COURT MAY DEEM PROPER, INCLUDING PRELIMINARY RELIEF. WHERE
 THE PERSON OR ENTITY'S ACTIONS DEMONSTRATE  A  PATTERN  OF  KNOWING  AND
 RECKLESS  CONDUCT  IN VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE, PUNITIVE DAMAGES MAY BE
 ASSESSED AGAINST THE PERSON OR ENTITY. ANY  ACTION  BROUGHT  UNDER  THIS
 PARAGRAPH SHALL BE BROUGHT ON BEHALF OF A MINOR ACCOUNT HOLDER.
   2.  A CIVIL ACTION FOR A CLAIM UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE BROUGHT
 WITHIN ONE YEAR FROM THE DATE THE COMPLAINANT KNEW, OR REASONABLY SHOULD
 HAVE KNOWN, OF THE ALLEGED VIOLATION. THIS SECTION DOES NOT PRECLUDE ANY
 OTHER AVAILABLE REMEDY AT LAW OR EQUITY.
   3. THE ATTORNEY  GENERAL  SHALL  HAVE  THE  AUTHORITY  TO  INVESTIGATE
 VIOLATIONS OF THIS ARTICLE. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL HAVE AUTHORITY TO
 ISSUE,  THROUGH  THE  ATTORNEY  GENERAL, SUBPOENAS FOR THE ATTENDANCE OF
 WITNESSES BEFORE THE COMMISSION. A SUBPOENA ISSUED  UNDER  THIS  SECTION
 SHALL  BE REGULATED BY THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES. ALL INFORMATION
 COLLECTED AND HELD BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL PURSUANT TO AN  INVESTIGATION
 UNDER THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE DEEMED CONFIDENTIAL AND SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT
 TO  PUBLIC  DISCLOSURE UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW OR ANY OTHER
 LAW WHICH REQUIRES PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS MAINTAINED BY A  GOVERN-
 MENTAL AGENCY.
   4. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL PROMULGATE SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS AS
 ARE NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE AND ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.