BILL NUMBER: S1620

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law and the general business law, in
relation to third party notification

 
PURPOSE:

To offer residential utility, phone and cable customers who have diffi-
culty keeping up with their bills, the option of having notice of
amounts due, collection attempts, and termination of services sent to a
trusted third tarty.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of the bill amends section 40 of the public service law to
clarify that third party notification programs already required of util-
ities must offer notice of amounts due or past due on routine bills, and
the amounts paid by or on behalf of the customer, as well as collection
              

and termination. notices.

Section two ofbill amends the general business law by adding a new
section 593-f that will remaire every telegraph and telephone corpo-
ration, cable television corporation, cellular phone company, or munici-
pality to designate a third party to receive notice of the total amount
due or past due on all bills, the amounts of any payments made by or on
behalf of the customer, as well as copies of all collection and termi-
nation. notices.

Section three of the bill is the effective Cate.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This legislation will enable customers of utility, phone anal cable
services providers to designate a relative, friend, or other trusted
third party to receive notice of anoints due or past due on routine
bills and amounts paid by or on behalf of the customer, as well as any
collection or termination notices. Present statutes only apply to tradi-
tional utilities and could be interpreted to require third party notifi
cation cnly of collection. and termination notices. This bill uill
expand the requirement, both by adding phone and cable service provid-
ers, and by clarifying that third party notification programs must offer
information about amounts due. and payments of routine bills, as well as
collection and termination notices.

We are all cognizant that many people may have difficulty keeping up
with bills-because of age, illness, ox other circumstances-even if they
are otherwise able to live independently. This legislation will enable
eople to obtain the regular assistance of a third party in ensuring that
such bills are kept up-to-date, thereby enhancing their independence and
making it easier for relatives, friends, and caregivers to offer such
assistance.

In addition, this bill recognizes that the services of utilities, phone
companies and cable services providers are increasingly converging. For
example, cable companies are offering phone and internet services, and
utilities and phone companies are working on broadband networks that can
carry television programming. As these services continue to converge,
they will be more and more likely to offer packages of services that we
view an essential for daily living. The legislation would recognize this
and ensure that ail providers have the same obligation to offer third
party billing on the same terms.

Finally, service providers might benefit from timelier bill payment if
this legislation is enacted.

The bill was amended 2003 to place some of the requirements in the
general business law rather than the public service law, so that all
service providers would be covered equally. In addition, because of
privacy concerns, a provision of a previous version of the bill that
would have required that full copies of bills be sent to a third party
has been changed to require. only that amounts due, past due, and paid
h' or on behalf of the customer be sent to the third party, since this
information is all that is necessary to assist customers in keeping up
with their bills.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2016/17: S.2294 - Referred to Energy & Telecommunications

2015-16: S.2440 A.5794 - Referred to Energy & Telecommunications

2013-14: S.2639/A.3907 - Referred to Energy & Telecommunications

2011-12: S.1112/A.3693 - Referred to Energy & Telecommunications

2009-10: S.4290/A.509 - Referred to Energy & Telecommunications

2008-09: S.7882A/A.10513A - Referred to Rules/Passed Assembly

 
FISCAL IMPACT ON THE STATE:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect ninety days after it shall have become a law.