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History
- 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.
Requires publisher of magazine subscriptions to disclose on the billing statement or invoice a customer service telephone number
In Senate Committee · Consumer Protection · Sponsor Jeffrey Dinowitz
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S4675
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring publishers of magazine subscriptions to disclose on the billing statements a customer service telephone number
Purpose
This bill would allow readers to contact customer service representative upon receipt of a billing statement or invoice.
Summary of specific provisions
Subdivision 1-a of the bill would amend Section 335-a of the General Business Law to ensure readers are provided with a customer service telephone number in a clear and conspicuous, manner to allow easy access to the magazine's publisher.
Existing law
Under the current law, publishers are not required to disclose to customers by notice on the billing statement, a printed ox clearly written customer service telephone number to facilitate contact. This bill would ensure that consumers are provided the necessary information should they need to cool tact a magazines customer representative upon receipt of a billing statement or invoice.
Justification
Section 335 (a) of the General Business Law does not require publishers, who sell magazine by subscription, to disclose their customer service telephone number on billing statements or invoices.
Often consumers are sent unwanted and unsolicited magazines subscriptions as a result of other subscriptions they may have ordered, or simply because another individual filled out a subscription card which can be easily found in most magazine publications and sent it to the publisher. Some consumers have reported receiving numerous subscriptions they did not request and then are left to reach the publisher which can often prove difficult. This proposed amendment would facilitate the much needed customer service relationship between readers and publishers of magazines sold by subscription.
Prior legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
None to the State
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.