What's happening
This bill requires phone service providers offering unsolicited services to give consumers a toll-free number for questions and complaints.
Why it matters
Empowers consumers to get clear information. By mandating a toll-free number, the bill ensures that anyone offered “free trial” or unsolicited phone services can easily access details about rates, terms, or conditions, which helps prevent confusion and hidden charges.
Addresses potential billing disputes. The requirement gives consumers a direct and cost-free channel to resolve billing and service complaints, potentially reducing frustration and financial harm from unauthorized or misunderstood charges.
Targets marketing tactics involving “free” offers. The bill specifically covers situations where services are initially promoted as free but may later result in charges, closing a loophole often used in aggressive or misleading telemarketing.
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Who cares
Telephone service providers
Businesses offering unsolicited free telephone service would have to furnish a toll-free consumer service number if consumers later must pay to terminate or continue the service.
Consumers offered unsolicited telephone services
Those facing charges after a free period or usage allowance would gain a toll-free number for questions about rates, terms and conditions.
Consumers with billing or service complaints
Consumers covered by the bill could use the required toll-free number to seek resolution of those complaints.
Headline styles
Free Hotline for Unsolicited Calls
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 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
159
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, GALEF -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring telephone service providers to furnish a toll-free consumer service number for consumers offered unsolicited services
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 92-i to read as follows:
§ 92-i. Toll-free consumer service number for consumers offered unsolicited services. Any person, firm, corporation, partnership, association, company or business offering or providing to a consumer unsolicited telephone services without charge for a specified period of use time or for a specified value of use time by means of a telephone calling card number, account number, electronic serial number or personal identification number when a charge, fee or payment is subsequently required by the consumer for termination or continued use of the unsolicited telephone service shall furnish a toll-free consumer service number to all such consumers which a consumer can use to obtain answers to questions, information on the rates, information on terms or conditions, and for resolution of a billing or service complaint.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01893-01-9
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.