Relates to providing new telephone numbers without charge for certain victims of domestic violence

4 Co-sponsors

• David Carlucci
• Timothy M. Kennedy
• George D. Maziarz
• John L. Sampson

BILL NUMBER:S4442A

Title of bill

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

Purpose

To protect the health and safety of domestic violence victims and their families there is a need to provide them with new telephone numbers when they request such from their telephone and or cell phone carrier. This is a recommendation by the PSC as per Chapter 327 of the Laws of 2010.

Summary of provisions

Section 1. Subdivision 7 of Section 91 of the Public Service Law as added by Chapter 327 of the Laws of 2010 allows for a victim of domestic violence to receive a new telephone number within 15 days of requesting such and who provides to the telephone corporation a copy of order and or temporary order of protection by a court.

Section 2. Section 399-yy of the General Business Law as added by Chapter 327 of the Laws of 2010 allows for a victim of domestic violence to receive a new telephone number within 15 days of requesting such and who provides to the telephone corporation a copy of order and or temporary order of protection by a court.

Existing law

Current law allows victims of domestic violence with an order of protection or temporary protection to be given a modified or alternative name in telephone directory or a non-published telephone listing at no fee. However, Chapter 327 of the Laws of 2010 directed the Public Service Commission to issue recommendations as to improvements to these services which had no fiscal impact on New York State or upon telephone service providers.

Justification

Chapter 327 of the Laws of 2010 required the Public Service Commission, in collaboration with the Office of Children and Family Services and the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence to examine the impact of providing victims of domestic violence with mechanisms to help ensure their safety from perpetrators of violence on them.

This law required a report to be submitted to the governor and to legislative leaders with recommendations that would not have a fiscal impact on New York State or on telephone service providers.

The stated government entities reviewed data collected from domestic violence victims as it related to their need to hide their identities and secure phone services that would allow them privacy from their abuser. The stated entities reviewed data from customers who had been granted orders of protection and temporary orders of protection and arrived at the conclusion that providing a new phone number to victims of domestic violence would have no fiscal impact on New York State government or on telephone service providers. Based on the review of this data and the findings of the report, the need to codify additional protection for domestic violence victims is clear.

That additional protection entails the legislative intent of this legislation: To require telephone service providers to grant a new telephone number within 15 days of the request from a domestic violence victim who has an order of protection or temporary order of protection.

This issue has been studied to ensure the legislature was not imposing an adverse fiscal impact on telephone service providers. Having found non, the mentioned additional safety mechanism of issuing new phone numbers to such victims should be an available option; one that family and children advocates have sought for many years.

Legislative history

New Bill

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately