What's happening
This bill requires hotels and motels with wireless communication facilities to provide guests with written health risk information upon arrival.
Why it matters
Increases transparency about wireless technology. By mandating that hotels and motels disclose health information related to nearby wireless communication facilities, the bill ensures guests are better informed about potential environmental exposures during their stay.
Relies on Department of Health expertise. The required written information must be based on "medical facts and risks" as established by the state Department of Health, meaning the content will be standardized and grounded in current scientific consensus rather than left to individual businesses.
Could influence guest choices and industry practices. Awareness of potential health risks may affect guests' lodging decisions, potentially leading to changes in how hotels approach the installation and management of wireless infrastructure on their properties.
Sets a precedent for risk disclosure regulations. If enacted, this law could serve as a model for other states or sectors, expanding public dialogue and regulation around the visibility of environmental and technological health risks in everyday settings.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Hotel Wi-Fi Health Warnings
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to local governments
- Referred to local governments
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2920
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 23, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring hotels and motels with wireless communication facilities upon the property thereof to provide guests upon arrival with information on the health risks of such facilities
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 205 to read as follows:
§ 205. Wireless communication facility information. 1. For the purposes of this section, "wireless communication facility" shall mean an unstaffed facility used in the receipt and transmission of wireless telephone service including, but not limited to, antennas, ancillary telecommunications equipment, and telecommunications towers and poles.
2. Every person or entity engaged in the business of furnishing public lodging accommodations in a hotel, motel or motor court shall, when a wireless communication facility is placed or operated upon the property of such hotel, motel or motor court, provide each guest upon his or her arrival with written information on the health risks from proximity to such facilities. Such written information provided to guests shall include such medical facts and risks as shall be established in the rules and regulations of the department of health.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law, provided that any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be completed on or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05425-01-7
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.