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A258Assembly2019-2020 Session

Ban Wireless Bill Payment Fees

Official title

“Prohibits the charging of additional fees for the payment of a wireless communications service bill”

Sponsor Kevin CahillAD-103Affects Public Safety & Consumer Affairs
Status
In Assembly Committee
Consumer Affairs And Protection
Impact
5/10
Moderate
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Consumer Affairs And Protection

What's happening

This bill prohibits wireless service providers in New York from charging extra fees for in-person bill payments.

Why it matters

  1. Protects consumers from extra costs. By prohibiting surcharges for in-person bill payments, the bill ensures that customers—especially those who may not have access to online payment methods—are not penalized for paying their bills with the help of store personnel.

  2. Promotes financial accessibility and inclusion. This change is particularly significant for individuals who may lack reliable internet access, are unbanked, or prefer cash payments, helping reduce barriers for vulnerable and low-income populations.

  3. Limits potential discriminatory practices. The bill prevents wireless providers from creating cost incentives that could push customers toward digital payments, which might exclude or disadvantage certain groups, such as seniors or individuals uncomfortable with technology.

  4. Applies to new and modified contracts. The ban on surcharges will affect all wireless service contracts issued, renewed, or changed after the law takes effect, ensuring both new and existing customers benefit as their agreements are updated.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Ban Wireless Bill Payment Fees

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Kevin Cahill

Assembly Member · Assembly District 103

History

  1. Referred to consumer affairs and protection
  2. Referred to consumer affairs and protection

Full text

1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

258

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)

January 9, 2019

Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, CYMBROWITZ, GALEF, ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection

AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting the charging of additional transaction fees for the payment of a wireless communications service bill or mobile telephone service bill in person

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. Imposition of surcharge for payment of wireless communications service prohibited. A wireless communications service supplier engaged in the business of providing wireless communications service or mobile telephone service to customers shall not impose any additional surcharge for the face to face payment by a customer of a bill for such wireless communications service or mobile telephone service. A face to face payment shall mean a payment made in a store with the assistance of store personnel to complete the transaction.

§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law, and shall apply to contracts issued, renewed, modified or amended after the effective date of this act.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD01991-01-9

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.