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

                                   759

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  RODRIGUEZ  --  read once and referred to the
  Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection

AN ACT to direct the department of state and the public service  commis-
  sion to jointly study and report upon the provision to consumer credit
  reporting  agencies  by  public  utility  companies,  cable television
  companies and cellular telephone service suppliers of  information  on
  late payments of or default on any fees or charges incurred by consum-
  ers;  and  providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration
  thereof

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

  Section  1.  The department of state and the public service commission
shall jointly examine, evaluate and make recommendations concerning  the
prevalence  of  reporting,  disclosure and otherwise making available to
any consumer credit reporting agency, as defined in subdivision  (k)  of
section 380-a of the general business law, by any public utility company
as defined in subdivision 23 of section 2 of the public service law, any
municipality  engaged  in  providing any public utility, any cable tele-
vision company as defined in subdivision 1 of section 212 of the  public
service  law, any wireless communications service supplier as defined in
subdivision 12 of section 301 of the county law, the Long  Island  power
authority  or the power authority of the state of New York, any informa-
tion relating to the late payment of or default on the  payment  of  any
charges  or fees by consumers for the provision of any public utility or
other services or goods. The department and commission shall study, with
particular care, the practice of reporting consumer payment  information
by  the  above  entities  to consumer credit reporting agencies and make
recommendations on the regulatory and statutory provisions necessary  to
protect consumers in this area.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD00663-01-5

A. 759                              2
              

  S  2.  The department of state and the public service commission shall
hold joint public hearings throughout  the  state  for  the  purpose  of
conducting their duties pursuant to section one of this act.
  S  3.  On or before December 31, 2016, the department of state and the
public service commission shall submit a joint report of their findings,
conclusions and recommendations to the governor and the legislature, and
shall submit with such report such regulatory and legislative  proposals
as they deem necessary to implement their recommendations.
  S  4.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
deemed repealed January 1, 2017.