New York A 6836: Relates to releasing victims of domestic violence from certain contracts

Bill Text

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A06836 Summary:

BILL NOA06836 

&nbsp

SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORRosenthal

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COSPNSRShrestha

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MLTSPNSR

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Amd §§48-a & 91, Pub Serv L; amd §§399-cccc, 399-yy & 399-yyy, Gen Bus L

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Authorizes one or more individuals who are under a shared contract to opt-out of such contract without a fee, penalty or charge due to status as a domestic violence victim; prohibits the company from transferring any contractual or billing responsibility of such shared contract to any other account holders on such shared contract; prevents companies from prohibiting a person who has opted-out due to domestic violence status to enter into a new contract.

Go to top A06836 Actions:

BILL NOA06836 

&nbsp

03/14/2025referred to corporations, authorities and commissions

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

Go to topA06836 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA06836 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topA06836 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 6836

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 March 14, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- 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 releasing victims of domestic violence from certain
 contracts

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

 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 48-a of the public service law, as
 2 amended by chapter 42 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read as
 3 follows:
 4 1. Every utility corporation shall allow a person who is under a
 5 shared contract with such utility corporation to opt-out of such
 6 contract without fee, penalty or charge when such person is a victim of
 7 domestic violence and provides an attestation in writing that they no
 8 longer wish to be a party to such contract due to their status as a
 9 victim of domestic violence. Such utility corporation shall permit a
 10 victim of domestic violence to submit such written attestation through
 11 secure remote means that are easily navigable, provided that remote
 12 options are commercially available and technically feasible. Such util-
 13 ity corporation shall permit one or more individuals who are under a
 14 shared contract to opt-out of such contract without a fee, penalty or
 15 charge, regardless of how many persons previously made such opt-out
 16 requests or when, during the term of such shared contract, such request
 17 was made to such utility corporation. Such utility corporation may not
 18 require such person to disclose confidential information or details
 19 relating to such person's status as a victim of domestic violence, as a
 20 condition of permitting such person to opt-out of such contract. If the
 21 person making such request is the primary account holder on such shared
 22 contract, such utility corporation shall be prohibited from transferring
 23 any contractual or billing responsibility of such shared contract to any
 24 other account holders on such shared contract. Further, such utility

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD10839-01-5

 A. 6836 2

 1 corporation may not make release from such contract contingent on: (a)
 2 maintaining contractual or billing responsibility of a separated account
 3 with the provider; (b) approval of separation by the primary account
 4 holder, if the primary account holder is not the person making such
 5 request; or (c) a prohibition or limitation on the separation as a
 6 result of arrears accrued by the account. Nor shall such utility corpo-
 7 ration prohibit a person who had made an opt-out request from entering
 8 into a new contract with such utility corporation. Such utility corpo-
 9 ration shall release such person from such contract no later than
 10 [seven] two business days after receiving such opt-out request. If a
 11 person making such request is not the primary account holder, such util-
 12 ity corporation shall notify the person making such request of the date
 13 on which such utility corporation intends to