What's happening
This bill requires a joint study on how utility, cable, and wireless companies report consumer late payments to credit agencies and recommends protections.
Why it matters
Potential Impact on Credit Scores. The study could reveal how reporting late payments for utilities, cable, and wireless services affects consumers' credit scores—often in ways consumers may not realize—potentially leading to broader consequences for access to loans, housing, or employment.
Focus on Consumer Protection. By specifically seeking recommendations for regulatory or statutory changes, the bill acknowledges that current practices might unfairly harm consumers and aims to identify ways to prevent or mitigate such harm.
Public Involvement and Transparency. The requirement for joint public hearings ensures that consumer experiences and concerns are part of the process, which could lead to more responsive and effective policy recommendations.
Broad Scope Across Service Providers. The inclusion of municipal utilities, public authorities, and a wide range of providers (not just private companies) means the study could address inconsistencies and gaps in how different types of service providers handle credit reporting, possibly leading to standardized protections statewide.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Study Utility Credit Reporting
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- 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.
Study Utility Credit Reporting
In Senate Committee · Energy And Telecommunications · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2330
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. RODRIGUEZ, MOSLEY, SEAWRIGHT, PICHARDO -- Multi- Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to direct the department of state and the public service commission to jointly study and report upon the provision to consumer credit reporting agencies by public utility companies, cable television companies and cellular telephone service suppliers of information on late payments of or default on any fees or charges incurred by consumers; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The department of state and the public service commission shall jointly examine, evaluate and make recommendations concerning the prevalence of reporting, disclosure and otherwise making available to any consumer credit reporting agency, as defined in subdivision (k) of section 380-a of the general business law, by any public utility company as defined in subdivision 23 of section 2 of the public service law, any municipality engaged in providing any public utility, any cable television company as defined in subdivision 1 of section 212 of the public service law, any wireless communications service supplier as defined in subdivision 12 of section 301 of the county law, the Long Island power authority or the power authority of the state of New York, any information relating to the late payment of or default on the payment of any charges or fees by consumers for the provision of any public utility or other services or goods. The department and commission shall study, with particular care, the practice of reporting consumer payment information by the above entities to consumer credit reporting agencies and make recommendations on the regulatory and statutory provisions necessary to protect consumers in this area.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06942-01-9
A. 2330 2
§ 2. The department of state and the public service commission shall hold joint public hearings throughout the state for the purpose of conducting their duties pursuant to section one of this act.
§ 3. On or before December 31, 2019, the department of state and the public service commission shall submit a joint report of their findings, conclusions and recommendations to the governor and the legislature, and shall submit with such report such regulatory and legislative proposals as they deem necessary to implement their recommendations.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed January 1, 2021.
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.