Provides for unlisted telephone numbers without charge for victims of domestic violence for whose benefit an order of protection has been issued

5 Co-sponsors

• Timothy M. Kennedy
• Jeffrey D. Klein
• Liz Krueger
• Diane J. Savino
• Toby Ann Stavisky

BILL NUMBER:S1538

Title of bill

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to providing for unlisted telephone numbers without charge for certain victims of domestic violence

Purpose

This bill would allow for unlisted telephone numbers without charge for victims of domestic violence for whose benefit an order of protection has been issued.

Summary of provisions

Subdivision 8 of the bill would amend Section 91 of the public Service Law to provide victims of domestic violence for whose benefit an order of protection has been issued, other than a temporary order of protection, for the duration of such order, an unlisted telephone number from any directory of telephone numbers published by it or any and a affiliated companies, free of charge.

Justification

This bill corrects an existing discrepancy regarding orders of protection and victims of domestic violence. Our State has a duty, under the "Parent patre mantra", to protect those citizens seeking refuge and protection against their aggressors. Allowing aggressors to obtain unlisted/non private telephone numbers of their victims to harass, intimidate and sometimes coerce the victim circumvent the purpose of an order of protection. Recent reports that 44% of the women killed between 2003 and 2005 died at the hands of their boyfriends or spouses. That means that nearly half of all the women murdered in the city are killed by their intimate partners.

This proposed Amendment would provide the help that victims still need.

Prior legislative history

2011-2012: Referred to Energy and Telecommunications 2009-2010: Referred to Energy and Telecommunications

Fiscal implications for state and local government

None.

Effective date

One hundred twenty days after it shall become a law.