Senate Bill S5849A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5849--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 3, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Consumer  Protection  --
   recommitted to the Committee on Consumer Protection in accordance with
   Senate  Rule  6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to items  left  by
   guests of hotels or other lodging facilities
 
   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
 210 to read as follows:
   § 210. ITEMS LEFT BY GUESTS OF LODGING FACILITIES. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES
 OF THIS SECTION:
   (A) "LODGING FACILITY" SHALL MEAN ANY HOTEL, MOTEL, STEAMBOAT, TOURIST
 CABIN, CAMP, RESORT, TAVERN, INN, BOARDING OR LODGING HOUSE.
   (B) "IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS" SHALL MEAN ANY IDENTIFICATION  CARD  OR
 DOCUMENT  ISSUED  BY  A  FEDERAL,  STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AGENCY, OR
 TRIBAL AUTHORITY WHICH CAN BE USED TO  IDENTIFY  THE  INDIVIDUAL  ISSUED
 SUCH  CARD  OR  DOCUMENT  INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A BIRTH CERTIF-
 ICATE,  DRIVER'S  LICENSE,  NON-DRIVER  IDENTIFICATION  CARD,  PASSPORT,
 SOCIAL  SECURITY CARD, IMMIGRATION DOCUMENT, INSURANCE CARD, OR BENEFITS
 CARD.
   2. THE OWNER, LESSOR, PROPRIETOR, OR MANAGER  OF  A  LODGING  FACILITY
 SHALL  REQUEST  FROM EACH GUEST AT THE TIME OF BOOKING AND AT THE BEGIN-
 NING OF THE GUEST'S STAY WHETHER SUCH GUEST WOULD LIKE TO  BE  CONTACTED
 IF  ITEMS  OF  GREATER  THAN NOMINAL VALUE, IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS, OR
 COPIES OF IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS ARE LEFT BEHIND AND, IF SO, HOW TO BE
 CONTACTED.  THE GUEST SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH THE OPTION TO BE  CONTACTED
 BY  PHONE  AND/OR  E-MAIL  AND THE OPTION TO LEAVE A PHONE NUMBER AND/OR
 E-MAIL ADDRESS TO BE CONTACTED THROUGH.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07613-02-6
 S. 5849--A                          2
              

 
   3. WHERE THE GUEST CHOSE TO BE CONTACTED UNDER SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
 SECTION AND LEFT SUCH ITEMS OR DOCUMENTS BEHIND AFTER  THEIR  STAY,  THE
 OWNER, LESSOR, PROPRIETOR, OR MANAGER OF THE LODGING FACILITY SHALL MAKE
 REASONABLE  EFFORTS TO CONTACT SUCH GUEST INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
 AT  LEAST  TWO  CONTACT  ATTEMPTS  WITHIN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS OF THE GUEST
 COMPLETING THEIR STAY USING THE CONTACT INFORMATION AND  CONTACT  METHOD
 OR  METHODS  PROVIDED  UNDER  SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION AND, IF NO
 SUCH CONTACT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED, THE INFORMATION USED TO BOOK  THE
 STAY.   A LODGING FACILITY SHALL KEEP A RECORD OF THE LOST ITEM OR DOCU-
 MENT AND THE STEPS TAKEN TO NOTIFY THE GUEST.
   4. IF CONTACT CANNOT BE MADE WITH THE GUEST OR THE GUEST CHOSE NOT  TO
 BE CONTACTED, THE OWNER, LESSOR, PROPRIETOR, OR MANAGER SHALL DISPOSE OF
 ANY  IDENTIFICATION  DOCUMENTS AND COPIES OF SUCH DOCUMENTS. DISPOSAL OF
 IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS OR COPIES OF SUCH DOCUMENTS SHALL  INCLUDE  THE
 PHYSICAL  DESTRUCTION OF ANY SUCH PHYSICAL DOCUMENTS OR COPIES SUCH THAT
 IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO RECREATE THE DOCUMENT OR COPY.
   5. A LODGING FACILITY OWNER OR OPERATOR SHALL NOT BE HELD  LIABLE  FOR
 ANY  LOSS OR DAMAGE TO A GUEST'S LOST ITEM OR DOCUMENT DURING STORAGE OR
 SHIPPING.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.