Assembly Bill A274A

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Requires companies to allow victims of domestic violence to cancel contracts when there is a domestic violence incident report, a police report, an order of protection or a signed affidavit

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Corporations, Authorities And Commissions Committee


  • 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

Do you support this bill?

Please enter your contact information

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.
Actions

Bill Amendments

2015-A274 - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §91, Pub Serv L; amd §399-yy, add §399-yyy, Gen Bus L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2013-2014: A8018
2017-2018: A1056
2019-2020: A5318

2015-A274 - Summary

Requires companies to allow victims of domestic violence to cancel contracts when there is a domestic violence incident report, a police report, an order of protection or a signed affidavit.

2015-A274 - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                   274

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. ROZIC -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

AN ACT to amend the public service law and the general business law,  in
  relation  to requiring companies to allow victims of domestic violence
  to cancel contracts when there is a permanent order of  protection  in
  place

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

  Section 1. Section 91 of the public service law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
  8. EVERY LOCAL EXCHANGE TELEPHONE  CORPORATION,  AS  DEFINED  IN  THIS
CHAPTER  SHALL ALLOW A CUSTOMER WHO IS UNDER CONTRACT, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT  OR  BUNDLE  CONTRACT,  TO  BREAK  SUCH
CONTRACT WITHOUT PENALTY WHEN SUCH CUSTOMER IS: (A) A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE,  AS DEFINED IN SECTION FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-NINE-A OF THE SOCIAL
SERVICES LAW; (B) SUCH CUSTOMER REQUESTS RELEASE  IN  WRITING;  AND  (C)
SUCH  CUSTOMER POSSESSES ANY ORDER OF PROTECTION, OTHER THAN A TEMPORARY
ORDER OF PROTECTION, THAT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURIS-
DICTION. THE TELEPHONE COMPANY  SHALL  WAIVE  THE  OTHERWISE  APPLICABLE
CHARGES  FOR BREAKING SUCH CONTRACT. SUCH WAIVER OF CHARGES SHALL BE FOR
THE DURATION OF THE APPLICABLE, NON-TEMPORARY, ORDER.
  S 2. Section 399-yy of the general business law, as added  by  chapter
202 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
  S  399-yy.  Cable television company providing telephone services.  1.
Every cable television company, as defined in section two hundred twelve
of the public service law, that provides telephone service to  customers
in  New York shall, at its option: a. allow a customer to use a modified
or alternative name for a directory listing or b.  waive  the  otherwise
applicable  charges  for  a  non-published  telephone listing, where the
customer requests protection of its  identity  in  connection  with  the

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

co-Sponsors

multi-Sponsors

2015-A274A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Law Section:
Public Service Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §91, Pub Serv L; amd §399-yy, add §399-yyy, Gen Bus L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2013-2014: A8018
2017-2018: A1056
2019-2020: A5318

2015-A274A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires companies to allow victims of domestic violence to cancel contracts when there is a domestic violence incident report, a police report, an order of protection or a signed affidavit.

2015-A274A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                 274--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. ROZIC -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- 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 companies to allow victims of domestic violence
  to cancel contracts when there is a domestic violence incident report,
  a police report, an order of protection, or a signed affidavit

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

  Section 1. Section 91 of the public service law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
  8.  EVERY  TELEPHONE  CORPORATION,  AS  DEFINED IN THIS CHAPTER, SHALL
ALLOW A PERSON WHO IS UNDER CONTRACT INCLUDING, BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO,  A
MULTI-YEAR  CONTRACT OR BUNDLE CONTRACT WITH SUCH TELEPHONE CORPORATION,
TO OPT-OUT OF SUCH CONTRACT WITHOUT CHARGE WHEN SUCH PERSON IS A  VICTIM
OF  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND REQUESTS TO OPT-OUT IN WRITING. SUCH VICTIM OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHALL PROVIDE TO SUCH TELEPHONE CORPORATION ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS, WHICH SHALL RELATE TO SUCH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WITH-
IN SIX MONTHS OF THE DOCUMENT'S ISSUANCE: (A) A VALID DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE
INCIDENT  REPORT FORM, AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FIFTEEN OF
SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN OF THE EXECUTIVE  LAW;  (B)  A  VALID
POLICE  REPORT;  (C) A VALID ORDER OF PROTECTION; (D) A SIGNED AFFIDAVIT
FROM A LICENSED MEDICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER,  EMPLOYEE  OF  A
COURT ACTING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF HIS OR HER EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL WORKER, A
RAPE  CRISIS  COUNSELOR, AS DEFINED IN SECTION FORTY-FIVE HUNDRED TEN OF
THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES, OR ADVOCATE ACTING  ON  BEHALF  OF  AN
AGENCY THAT ASSISTS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS. A CLAIM FOR OPTING-OUT OF
SUCH CONTRACT WITHOUT CHARGE SHALL BE MADE IN GOOD FAITH. SUCH TELEPHONE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD01733-02-5
              

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.