New York A 4556: Relates to providing residents of municipal public housing in the state with free basic cable and high-speed internet service

Bill Text

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A04556 Summary:

BILL NOA04556 

&nbsp

SAME ASNo Same As

&nbsp

SPONSORCunningham

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COSPNSRForrest, Shimsky

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

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Add §231, amd Art 11 Art Head, §212, Pub Serv L

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Relates to providing residents of municipal public housing in the state with free basic cable and high-speed internet service, and reimbursing internet service providers and cable television companies for providing such service.

Go to top A04556 Actions:

BILL NOA04556 

&nbsp

02/04/2025referred to corporations, authorities and commissions

01/07/2026referred to corporations, authorities and commissions

Go to topA04556 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA04556 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA04556 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 4556

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 February 4, 2025
 ___________

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

 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to providing free
 high-speed internet and cable service to residents of municipal hous-
 ing authorities

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section
 2 231 to read as follows:
 3 § 231. Empire connect. 1. For the purposes of this section, the term
 4 "high-speed internet service" shall mean internet service of at least
 5 100 mbps download and at least 10 mbps upload.
 6 2. Each internet service provider and cable television company that
 7 provides service to customers within a municipality shall provide basic
 8 high-speed internet service and cable service to each residential dwell-
 9 ing or unit in a multiple dwelling, as defined by section three of the
 10 public housing law, that is owned or managed by a municipal public hous-
 11 ing authority, as defined by section three of the public housing law.
 12 The fiscal impact of such program shall not be borne by customers of
 13 internet service providers or cable television companies and shall not
 14 be added to bills rendered by an internet service provider or cable
 15 television company to such customers.
 16 3. The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate
 17 the provisions of this section, including, but not limited to the
 18 following:
 19 (a) rules and regulations to apportion the responsibility of each
 20 internet service provider and cable television company in the event that
 21 a municipality has authorized more than one internet service provider or
 22 cable television company to operate within the geographic area of such
 23 municipality; and

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD05743-01-5

 A. 4556 2

 1 (b) rules and regulations to ensure such compliance by such internet
 2 service providers and cable television companies with the provisions of
 3 this section.
 4 4. No internet service provider or cable television company shall
 5 assign or transfer liability for its obligations under this section to
 6 any other person, business, entity, or organization, or contract for any
 7 other person, business, entity, or organization to perform such internet
 8 service provider's or cable television company's duties under this
 9 section without the prior written consent of the commission.
 10 5. (a) The commission shall establish and manage a cable and high-
 11 speed internet service abatement fund to provide reimbursement to inter-
 12 net service providers and cable television companies for cable and high-
 13 speed internet service provided pursuant to subdivision two of this
 14 section.
 15 (b) The commission shall appropriate money as necessary to the fund to
 16 reimburse all internet service providers and cable television companies
 17 for the costs of providing cable and high-speed internet service pursu-
 18 ant to subdivision two of this section. Any federal funds made available
 19 for such purpose and any state funds appropriated for cable and high-
 20 speed internet service shall be deposited into such fund.
 21 (c) The commission shall