What's happening
This bill requires wireless providers to let domestic violence victims on shared plans opt out without penalty and get a new number.
Why it matters
Empowers victims of domestic violence to leave shared wireless contracts without fear of financial penalties. , removing a potential barrier to separating from an abuser and ensuring safety.
Accepts a wide range of official documentation as proof of domestic violence. , including police reports, orders of protection, affidavits from healthcare providers or advocates, making the opt-out process more accessible for victims with varying circumstances.
Requires wireless providers to issue a new phone number within 24 hours at no cost. , helping victims quickly regain privacy and prevent further unwanted contact or harassment from their abuser.
Applies to all new or renewed contracts. , ensuring that individuals entering into wireless agreements in the future are protected under this law, potentially influencing how wireless companies structure their policies statewide.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Abuse Victims Leave Phone Plans
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 25
21 Co-sponsors
- Peter Abbate
- Thomas Abinanti
- Michael Blake
- Anthony Brindisi
- Harry B. Bronson
- William Colton
- Billy Jones
- Steven Otis
- Andrew Raia
- Diana Richardson
- Robert J. Rodriguez
- Linda Rosenthal
- Jo Anne Simon
- Latrice Walker
- Luis R. Sepúlveda
- Ron Castorina Jr.
- Anthony D'Urso
- Rebecca Seawright
- Yuh-Line Niou
- Stacey Pheffer Amato
- Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
History
- Referred to consumer protection
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Amended on third reading 946a
- Ordered to third reading cal.65
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
- Referred to consumer protection
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.175
- Reported
Show 3 earlier actions
- Reported referred to codes
- Reference changed to consumer affairs and protection
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
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.
Let Abuse Victims Leave Phone Plans
In Senate Committee · Consumer Protection · Sponsor Shelley Mayer
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
946--A Cal. No. 65
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC, ABBATE, ABINANTI, BLAKE, BRINDISI, BRON- SON, COLTON, HARRIS, JONES, OTIS, RAIA, RICHARDSON, RODRIGUEZ, L. ROSENTHAL, SIMON, WALKER, SEPULVEDA, CASTORINA, D'URSO, SEAWRIGHT, NIOU, PHEFFER AMATO, BICHOTTE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GALEF, McDONOUGH, PERRY, THIELE, WEINSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring the release of individuals from shared or family wireless telephone plans in instances of domestic violence
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. Wireless telephone services; domestic violence victims. Every provider of wireless telephone service, as defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section twelve hundred twenty-five-c of the vehicle and traffic law, shall allow a person who is under a shared phone plan contract with such provider and who is a victim of domestic violence involving another person under such shared phone plan contract, to opt-out of such contract without charge when such person requests to opt-out in writing and provides to such provider of wireless telephone service any of the following documents, which shall relate to such domestic violence, within six months of the document's issuance: (a) a valid domestic violence incident report form, as such term is defined in subdivision fifteen of section eight hundred thirty-seven of the executive law; (b) a valid police report; (c) a valid order of protection; (d) a signed affidavit from a licensed medical or mental health care provider, employee of a court acting within the scope of his or her employment, social worker, a rape crisis counselor, as defined in
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01136-02-8
A. 946--A 2
section forty-five hundred ten of the civil practice law and rules, or advocate acting on behalf of an agency that assists domestic violence victims. A claim for opting-out of such contract without charge shall be made in good faith. Such provider shall waive the otherwise applicable charges for such person requesting to opt-out of such contract. Any person requesting an accommodation pursuant to this section may request, and if requested shall be provided at no cost to such person, a new telephone number within twenty-four hours from the request for such accommodation.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to contracts entered into or renewed on and after such 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.