What's happening
This bill requires gas stations to clearly display the highest price for each grade of motor fuel on prominent street signs, with specific size and visibility requirements, and establishes related enforcement and exemptions.
Why it matters
Reduces confusion and potential for deceptive pricing. By mandating gas stations display the highest price for each fuel grade on prominent, standardized street signs, the bill aims to prevent situations where only the lowest, discount, or restricted prices are visible, ensuring consumers are less likely to be misled about what they will actually pay.
Enhances visibility and consumer awareness. The law requires large, conspicuous signage (minimum six feet high, four feet wide, eight feet off the ground) that must be clearly visible from all streets entering the station, making it easier for drivers to see and compare prices before pulling in.
Establishes clear enforcement and local flexibility. The bill introduces significant penalties for non-compliance, but also allows for local governments to continue with or create their own similar laws, seek exemptions for scenic/historic areas, or modify compliance if local zoning makes the requirements impractical.
Clarifies scope and exceptions. The requirements do not apply to prices available only through loyalty or promotional programs, nor to propane sales, and specifically allow for additional, smaller pricing signs as long as they don’t obscure the required main sign—balancing transparency with operational flexibility for businesses.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Require Clear Gas Price Signs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
20 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- Referred to consumer affairs and 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.
Standardize Gas Price Signs
In Senate Committee · Consumer Protection · Sponsor Todd Kaminsky
Full text
4 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5222
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 7, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ, PAULIN, JAFFEE, ROSENTHAL, M. G. MILL- ER, COLTON, GALEF, LAVINE, WEPRIN, GUNTHER, HOOPER, BUCHWALD, SEPULVE- DA, SKOUFIS, DILAN, ZEBROWSKI, BARRETT, ARROYO, GOTTFRIED, McDONOUGH, MONTESANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, LENTOL, MAGEE, PERRY, RA, STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law and the agriculture and markets law, in relation to specifying requirements for motor fuel advertising media
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 396-xx to read as follows:
§ 396-xx. Advertising medium; motor fuel sales. 1. The term "advertising medium," as used in this section, shall mean a street sign located within ten feet of the main entrance of the place of business or as close as practicable.
2. a. In the event that the same grade of motor fuel is sold at different prices from any single place of business, then the place of business must have an advertising medium that: (i) complies with this section; (ii) displays at least the higher of the prices offered for that grade of motor fuel; and (iii) is a street sign, which is at least six feet high and four feet wide and at least eight feet off the ground.
b. The advertising medium shall, to the extent practicable, be clearly visible from each street or highway which has a motor vehicle access point to the place of business. When the place of business is situated at an intersection, the advertising medium required pursuant to this section shall, to the extent practicable, be clearly visible from each street of the intersection. All information required to be included on such advertising medium pursuant to this section shall be posted or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03794-01-7
A. 5222 2
maintained in a clear and conspicuous manner. For the purposes of this section, motor fuel does not include propane.
c. This subdivision shall not apply to discounts or price reductions not available to the general public, including, but not limited to, discounts or price reductions provided pursuant to an awards, rewards, loyalty, or promotional program.
3. All letters, words, figures, or numerals which are part of the advertising media required by subdivision two of this section shall have a heavy type face or stroke, shall be clearly visible, and of a color or tint that will contrast the letters, words, figures, or numerals with the background of the advertising media. The height of the letters, figures, and numerals, except the letter "l" and numeral one, shall not be more than twice the width.
4. a. Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall subject a person, firm or corporation offering for sale or selling any motor fuel to the public to a civil penalty of up to five hundred dollars for a first offense, up to one thousand dollars for a second offense, and up to ten thousand dollars for a third or subsequent offense.
b. The provisions of this section may be enforced concurrently by the director of a municipal consumer affairs office, or by the town attorney, city corporation counsel, or other lawful designee of a municipality or local government, and all moneys collected under this section shall be retained by such municipality or local government.
5. a. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person, firm or corporation offering for sale or selling any motor fuel to the public operating within a political subdivision that has already enacted and continues in effect a local law, ordinance, rule or regulation in substantial conformity with this section. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit in any way the authority of a political subdivision to enact, implement and continue to enforce local laws and regulations governing the sale of motor fuels that were in effect prior to the effective date of this section, or to enact, implement and enforce any amendments thereto after the effective date of this section so long as the amendments remain in substantial conformity with this section. The provisions of this section shall be enforced in the counties outside the city of New York by the county or city director of weights and measures, as the case may be, and in the city of New York by the department of consumer affairs.
b. Any political subdivision may, by ordinance, exempt specified geographic areas for the provisions of this section for scenic or historic preservation purposes upon approval of such exemption by the commissioner of agriculture and markets.
c. Any person, firm or corporation offering for sale or selling any motor fuel to the public operating within a political subdivision that has enacted a local zoning ordinance or local law regarding advertising mediums that prevent compliance with the requirements of this section may apply to the commissioner of agriculture and markets for an exemption from the requirements of this section or a modified compliance scheme that addresses the issue preventing compliance with the requirements of this section. The commissioner of agriculture and markets shall, following an investigation, at his or her sole discretion, approve or deny the request for an exemption or modification.
6. Nothing in this section shall apply to signs or placards required to be posted pursuant to subdivision five of section one hundred ninety-two of the agriculture and markets law.
A. 5222 3
7. Nothing in this section prohibits any person, firm or corporation who has posted or displayed a sign or advertising medium in compliance with this section from displaying additional pricing signs, provided that such additional pricing signs are of smaller size than the media required pursuant to subdivision two of this section and the additional pricing signs do not obstruct or interfere with the required advertising medium.
§ 2. Subparagraph (iii) of paragraph a of subdivision 5 of section 192 of the agriculture and markets law, as amended by chapter 101 of the laws of 1986, is amended and a new subparagraph (iv) is added to read as follows:
(iii) where a multiple product dispensing device is capable of dispensing multiple products at multiple prices, then the selling price per gallon [may] shall be posted thereon with numerals at least one-half that height and one-half that width required by subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, although numerals representing tenths of a cent may be displayed at no less than one-half those dimensions which disclose the selling price per gallon of such motor fuel dispensed therefrom[.]; or
(iv) where a cash discount is offered, at least one sign or label shall be conspicuously displayed on the dispenser indicating the price per gallon of the fuel after the cash discount. Such sign or label must display such price in letters and numerals not less than one-half inch high.
§ 3. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 192-i to read as follows:
§ 192-i. Advertising medium; motor fuel sales. 1. The term "advertising medium," as used in this section, shall mean a street sign located within ten feet of the main entrance of the place of business or as close as practicable.
2. a. In the event that the same grade of motor fuel is sold at different prices from any single place of business, then the place of business must have an advertising medium that: (i) complies with this section; (ii) displays at least the higher of the prices offered for that grade of motor fuel; and (iii) is a street sign, which is at least six feet high and four feet wide and at least eight feet off the ground.
b. The advertising medium required pursuant to this section shall, to the extent practicable, be clearly visible from each street or highway which has a motor vehicle access point to the place of business. When the place of business is situated at an intersection, the advertising medium shall, to the extent practicable, be clearly visible from each street of the intersection. For the purposes of this section, motor fuel does not include propane.
c. This subdivision shall not apply to discounts or price reductions not available to the general public, including, but not limited to, discounts or price reductions provided pursuant to an awards, rewards, loyalty, or promotional program.
3. All letters, words, figures, or numerals which are part of the advertising media required by subdivision two of this section shall have a heavy type face or stroke, shall be clearly visible, and of a color or tint that will contrast the letters, words, figures, or numerals with the background of the advertising media. The height of the letters, figures, and numerals, except the letter "l" and numeral one, shall not be more than twice the width.
4. a. Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall subject a person, firm or corporation offering for sale or selling any motor fuel to the public to a civil penalty of up to five hundred
A. 5222 4
dollars for a first offense, up to one thousand dollars for a second offense, and up to ten thousand dollars for a third or subsequent offense.
b. The provisions of this section may be enforced concurrently by the director of a municipal consumer affairs office, or by the town attorney, city corporation counsel, or other lawful designee of a municipality or local government, and all moneys collected under this section shall be retained by such municipality or local government.
c. Any person, firm or corporation offering for sale or selling any motor fuel to the public operating within a political subdivision that has enacted a local zoning ordinance or local law regarding advertising mediums that prevent compliance with the requirements of this section may apply to the commissioner for an exemption from the requirements of this section or a modified compliance scheme that addresses the issue preventing compliance with the requirements of this section. The commissioner shall, following an investigation, at his or her sole discretion, approve or deny the request for an exemption or modification.
5. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this section, and shall make available on the department's website a summary of the provisions of this section and any regulations promulgated thereunder.
6. a. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person, firm or corporation offering for sale or selling any motor fuel to the public operating within a political subdivision that has already enacted and continues in effect a local law, ordinance, rule or regulation in substantial conformity with this section. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit in any way the authority of a political subdivision to enact, implement and continue to enforce local laws and regulations governing the sale of motor fuels that were in effect prior to the effective date of this section, or to enact, implement and enforce any amendments thereto after the effective date of this section so long as the amendments remain in substantial conformity with this section. The provisions of this section shall be enforced in the counties outside the city of New York by the county or city director of weights and measures, as the case may be, and in the city of New York by the department of consumer affairs.
b. Any political subdivision may, by ordinance, exempt specified geographic areas for the provisions of this section for scenic or historic preservation purposes upon approval of such exemption by the commissioner.
7. Nothing in this section shall apply to signs or placards required to be posted pursuant to subdivision five of section one hundred ninety-two of this article.
8. Nothing in this section prohibits any person, firm or corporation who has posted or displayed a sign or advertising medium in compliance with this section from displaying additional pricing signs, provided that such additional pricing signs are of smaller size than the media required pursuant to subdivision two of this section and the additional pricing signs do not obstruct or interfere with the required advertising medium.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that the commissioner of agriculture and markets is authorized to promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement this act on or before its effective date.
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.