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History
- Referred to consumer protection
- Referred to consumer protection
Full text
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Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S452
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to rates charged for rental vehicle refueling
Purpose or general idea of the bill
To prohibit rental car companies from charging consumers exorbitant refueling rates for gasoline for rental motor vehicles returned without a full tank of gas as documented at the time of rental.
Summary of provisions
Prohibits any rental vehicle company from charging an authorized driver a refueling rate which exceeds the highest retail price of gasoline charged at gasoline stations or convenience stores within a one-half mile radius of such rental vehicle company.
Clarifies that such charge be based on the difference of a documented reading of the motor vehicle's fuel gauge, obtained at the time the vehicle was delivered or picked up by the authorized driver, and the subsequent fuel gauge reading taken when the vehicle is returned to the rental car company.
This legislation makes violations subject to a $500 fine per violation.
Justification
Many car rental companies charge a driver a refueling fee when a vehicle is returned without a full tank of gas. Studies by the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) reveals that these prices often range anywhere from $2.00 to $5.00 per gallon in certain areas. These amounts have certainly increased with the past years gas price increases.
This legislation will end this type of "price gouging" by placing a limit on the amount a car rental company may charge a consumer for refueling gasoline, and imposes a $500 fine for any violations.
Legislative history
2011-12: S.7188/A.2489 (Jeffries) 2009-10: A.379 (Jeffries) 2007-08: S.4187 (Savino)/A.10095 (Jeffries) 2003-04: S.4644 (Lachman) 2001-01: S.455 (Gentile) 1999-00: S.1867 (Gentile) 1997-98: S.4794 (Gentile)
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day, with provisions.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.