S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 4192--A

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             April 16, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
  cations  --  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 utility corporations, energy service companies,
  municipalities, telephone corporations and cable television  companies
  to  provide large-print versions of billing statements upon request by
  the consumer

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Section 44 of the public service law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
  5.  AT  LEAST ONCE A YEAR, EVERY UTILITY CORPORATION,  ENERGY SERVICES
COMPANY OR MUNICIPALITY SHALL PROVIDE ITS CUSTOMERS WITH A  NOTICE  THAT
BILLING  STATEMENTS  ARE  AVAILABLE  IN LARGE PRINT FORMAT. UPON WRITTEN
REQUEST BY A CUSTOMER, A UTILITY CORPORATION, ENERGY SERVICES COMPANY OR
MUNICIPALITY SHALL PROVIDE THE  CUSTOMER'S  BILLING  STATEMENTS  IN  THE
LARGE  PRINT  FORMAT  COMMENCING NO LATER THAN SIXTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE
UPON WHICH THE REQUEST IS RECEIVED BY THE  UTILITY  CORPORATION,  ENERGY
SERVICES  COMPANY  OR  MUNICIPALITY.  THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION
SHALL APPLY ONLY  TO  PRINTED  STATEMENTS.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
SECTION,  "LARGE  PRINT"  SHALL  MEAN  A PRINTED FONT SIZE OF SIXTEEN OR
GREATER TO ILLUMINATE BILLING INFORMATION.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
SECTION, "ENERGY SERVICES COMPANY" OR "ESCO" SHALL MEAN AN ENTITY ELIGI-
BLE  TO SELL ENERGY SERVICES TO END-USE CUSTOMERS USING THE TRANSMISSION
OR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OF A UTILITY CORPORATION.
  S 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section  399-
zz to read as follows:
  S 399-ZZ. TELEPHONE BILLS. AT THE TIME SERVICE IS INITIATED TO A RESI-
DENTIAL  CUSTOMER  AND  AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR THEREAFTER, EVERY TELEPHONE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05998-06-9
              

S. 4192--A                          2

CORPORATION, AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION SEVENTEEN OF SECTION TWO  OF  THE
PUBLIC  SERVICE  LAW,  AND EVERY CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY, AS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWELVE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE  LAW
THAT  PROVIDES  TELEPHONE SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS IN NEW YORK SHALL PROVIDE
ITS CUSTOMERS WITH A NOTICE THAT BILLING STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE  IN  A
LARGE  PRINT FORMAT. UPON WRITTEN REQUEST BY A CUSTOMER, EVERY TELEPHONE
CORPORATION AND CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY SHALL  PROVIDE  THE  CUSTOMER'S
BILLING  STATEMENTS IN LARGE PRINT FORMAT NO LATER THAN SIXTY DAYS AFTER
THE DATE UPON WHICH THE REQUEST IS RECEIVED BY THE TELEPHONE CORPORATION
AND CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY
TO BOTH WRITTEN AND ELECTRONIC STATEMENTS.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
SECTION,  "LARGE  PRINT"  MEANS  A  PRINTED  OR  ELECTRONIC FONT SIZE OF
SIXTEEN OR LARGER TO ILLUMINATE BILLING INFORMATION.
  S 3. The public service law is amended by adding a new  section  224-b
to read as follows:
  S  224-B.  CABLE BILLS. AT THE TIME SERVICE IS INITIATED TO A RESIDEN-
TIAL CUSTOMER AND AT LEAST  ONCE  A  YEAR  THEREAFTER,  EVERY  TELEPHONE
CORPORATION,  AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION SEVENTEEN OF SECTION TWO OF THIS
CHAPTER, AND EVERY CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY, AS DEFINED IN  SECTION  TWO
HUNDRED  TWELVE OF THIS ARTICLE THAT PROVIDES CABLE SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS
IN NEW YORK SHALL PROVIDE ITS  CUSTOMERS  WITH  A  NOTICE  THAT  BILLING
STATEMENTS  ARE  AVAILABLE IN A LARGE PRINT FORMAT. UPON WRITTEN REQUEST
BY A CUSTOMER, EVERY TELEPHONE CORPORATION AND CABLE TELEVISION  COMPANY
SHALL PROVIDE THE CUSTOMER'S BILLING STATEMENTS IN LARGE PRINT FORMAT NO
LATER  THAN SIXTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE UPON WHICH THE REQUEST IS RECEIVED
BY  THE  TELEPHONE  CORPORATION  AND  CABLE  TELEVISION   COMPANY.   THE
PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION SHALL APPLY TO BOTH WRITTEN AND ELECTRONIC
STATEMENTS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS  SECTION,  "LARGE  PRINT"  MEANS  A
PRINTED OR ELECTRONIC FONT SIZE OF SIXTEEN OR LARGER TO ILLUMINATE BILL-
ING INFORMATION.
  S  4. This act shall take effect April 1, 2010; provided, however that
effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule
or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effec-
tive date are authorized and directed to be made  and  completed  on  or
before such effective date.

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 4192--B

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             April 16, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
  cations  --  committee  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
  amended and recommitted to said  committee  --  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 utility corporations, energy service companies,
  municipalities, telephone corporations and cable television  companies
  to  provide large-print versions of billing statements upon request by
  the consumer

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Section 44 of the public service law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
  5.  AT  LEAST ONCE A YEAR, EVERY UTILITY CORPORATION,  ENERGY SERVICES
COMPANY OR MUNICIPALITY SHALL PROVIDE ITS CUSTOMERS WITH A  NOTICE  THAT
BILLING  STATEMENTS  ARE  AVAILABLE  IN LARGE PRINT FORMAT. UPON WRITTEN
REQUEST BY A CUSTOMER, A UTILITY CORPORATION, ENERGY SERVICES COMPANY OR
MUNICIPALITY SHALL PROVIDE THE  CUSTOMER'S  BILLING  STATEMENTS  IN  THE
LARGE  PRINT  FORMAT  COMMENCING NO LATER THAN SIXTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE
UPON WHICH THE REQUEST IS RECEIVED BY THE  UTILITY  CORPORATION,  ENERGY
SERVICES  COMPANY  OR  MUNICIPALITY.  THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION
SHALL APPLY ONLY  TO  PRINTED  STATEMENTS.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
SECTION,  "LARGE  PRINT"  SHALL  MEAN  A PRINTED FONT SIZE OF SIXTEEN OR
GREATER TO ILLUMINATE BILLING INFORMATION.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
SECTION, "ENERGY SERVICES COMPANY" OR "ESCO" SHALL MEAN AN ENTITY ELIGI-
BLE  TO SELL ENERGY SERVICES TO END-USE CUSTOMERS USING THE TRANSMISSION
OR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OF A UTILITY CORPORATION.
  S 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section  399-
zz to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05998-10-9
              

S. 4192--B                          2

  S 399-ZZ. TELEPHONE BILLS. AT THE TIME SERVICE IS INITIATED TO A RESI-
DENTIAL  CUSTOMER  AND  AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR THEREAFTER, EVERY TELEPHONE
CORPORATION, AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION SEVENTEEN OF SECTION TWO  OF  THE
PUBLIC  SERVICE  LAW,  AND EVERY CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY, AS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION  ONE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWELVE OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE LAW
THAT PROVIDES TELEPHONE SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS IN NEW YORK  SHALL  PROVIDE
ITS  CUSTOMERS  WITH A NOTICE THAT BILLING STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE IN A
LARGE PRINT FORMAT. UPON WRITTEN REQUEST BY A CUSTOMER, EVERY  TELEPHONE
CORPORATION  AND  CABLE  TELEVISION COMPANY SHALL PROVIDE THE CUSTOMER'S
BILLING STATEMENTS IN LARGE PRINT FORMAT NO LATER THAN SIXTY DAYS  AFTER
THE DATE UPON WHICH THE REQUEST IS RECEIVED BY THE TELEPHONE CORPORATION
AND CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY
ONLY  TO  PRINTED  STATEMENTS.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "LARGE
PRINT" MEANS A FONT SIZE OF SIXTEEN  OR  LARGER  TO  ILLUMINATE  BILLING
INFORMATION.
  S  3.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section 224-b
to read as follows:
  S 224-B. CABLE BILLS. AT THE TIME SERVICE IS INITIATED TO  A  RESIDEN-
TIAL  CUSTOMER  AND  AT  LEAST  ONCE  A YEAR THEREAFTER, EVERY TELEPHONE
CORPORATION, AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION SEVENTEEN OF SECTION TWO OF  THIS
CHAPTER,  AND  EVERY CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY, AS DEFINED IN SECTION TWO
HUNDRED TWELVE OF THIS ARTICLE THAT PROVIDES CABLE SERVICE TO  CUSTOMERS
IN  NEW  YORK  SHALL  PROVIDE  ITS  CUSTOMERS WITH A NOTICE THAT BILLING
STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE IN A LARGE PRINT FORMAT. UPON  WRITTEN  REQUEST
BY  A CUSTOMER, EVERY TELEPHONE CORPORATION AND CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY
SHALL PROVIDE THE CUSTOMER'S BILLING STATEMENTS IN LARGE PRINT FORMAT NO
LATER THAN SIXTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE UPON WHICH THE REQUEST IS  RECEIVED
BY   THE   TELEPHONE  CORPORATION  AND  CABLE  TELEVISION  COMPANY.  THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY ONLY TO PRINTED  STATEMENTS.  FOR
THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "LARGE PRINT" MEANS A FONT SIZE OF SIXTEEN
OR LARGER TO ILLUMINATE BILLING INFORMATION.
  S  4. This act shall take effect April 1, 2010; provided, however that
this act shall not apply to  any  utility  corporation,  energy  service
company, municipality, telephone corporation or cable television company
that  services  less  than  fifty  thousand customers in the state until
November 1, 2010; provided,  further  that  effective  immediately,  the
addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
for the implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized
and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.