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History
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 53–5
- Ordered to third reading cal.991
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to consumer protection
- Referred to consumer protection
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Allows cell phone users to add a new phone line without having to renew the service plan and to cancel an additional line without paying any fee, charge or cost
In Assembly Committee · Consumer Affairs And Protection · Sponsor Vito Lopez
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to protecting the rights of cell phone users
Purpose
Eliminates charges for the cancellation of an additional phone line and allows for the addition of a new phone line without renewing the original contract.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill adds a new Section 390-d to the General Business Law, which provides that cell phone service providers cannot cause a user to extend their existing contract simply because they have added an additional line to their current plan. This section also prohibits cell phone providers from charging a user for canceling a phone line from their account, as long as the primary line is kept active.
Existing law
None.
Justification
Cell phones have become almost as common as household phones. Most couples and families purchase contracts and add additional lines for their loved ones, so they can keep in touch. It is often the case that lines are added to a customer's existing contract (a child becomes a teenager, or a single adult becomes involved in a relationship), and just as frequently, lines are canceled (a couple breaks up, or a child graduates college and gets their own phone).
Cell phone providers currently charge customers a cancellation fee when they drop an additional line which was added to their primary phone line. Similarly, it is standard practice by most cell phone providers to require that customers, when adding an additional phone line to their contract, cause an automatic renewal of their contract.
The monthly cost for cell phone service, the additional charges that are frequently incurred, and the length of the cell phone contracts, are all quite extensive. Customers should not have to pay for the addition or removal of a line, as long as they maintain their main line.
Legislative history
2007-08 - S.1497 - Referred to Consumer Protection 2007/08 - A.6996 - Referred to Consumer Affairs and Protection 2005/06 - A.12081 - Referred to Consumer Affairs and Protection
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.