What's happening
This bill prohibits wireless service providers from charging extra fees for in-person bill payments assisted by store staff.
Why it matters
Protects consumers who rely on in-person service. This bill ensures that customers—especially those who may not have access to online banking, credit cards, or are less comfortable with digital transactions—won’t be penalized with extra fees for paying their wireless bills in person with store staff assistance.
Addresses equity and accessibility concerns. By forbidding surcharges for face-to-face bill payments, the legislation helps low-income, elderly, and unbanked individuals who may depend on cash payments and in-person support, promoting fairer access to essential communication services.
Limits hidden or unexpected costs. The bill prevents wireless service providers from introducing or increasing fees that might not be clearly disclosed up front, helping consumers better anticipate and manage their monthly costs without surprise add-ons for their preferred payment method.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Cell Bill Payment Fees
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
4 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1405
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 12, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, CYMBROWITZ, GALEF, ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting the charging of additional transaction fees for the payment of a wireless communications service bill or mobile telephone service bill in person
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 399-cccc to read as follows:
§ 399-cccc. Imposition of surcharge for payment of wireless communications service prohibited. A wireless communications service supplier engaged in the business of providing wireless communications service or mobile telephone service to customers shall not impose any additional surcharge for the face to face payment by a customer of a bill for such wireless communications service or mobile telephone service. A face to face payment shall mean a payment made in a store with the assistance of store personnel to complete the transaction.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law, and shall apply to contracts issued, renewed, modified or amended after the effective date of this act.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01500-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.