What's happening
This bill requires prepaid cellular telephone cards to clearly display their expiration date in large, bold print on the card.
Why it matters
Reduces risk of wasted money. By making expiration dates much more visible, customers are less likely to accidentally lose their prepaid cellular minutes due to unclear or hidden terms, protecting consumer investment.
Promotes fair business practices. Requiring bold, prominent display of expiration information helps prevent misleading marketing by prepaid phone card companies, increasing accountability.
Empowers consumers to make informed choices. With clearer information upfront, buyers can better compare products and choose cards that best fit their needs and usage patterns, especially those who rely on prepaid services due to financial constraints or lack of credit.
Supports vulnerable populations. This measure is particularly important for non-English speakers, the elderly, or those with limited literacy, who are often most at risk of missing fine print and suffering financial loss.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Show Prepaid Minutes Expiration
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Approval memo.40
- Signed chap.334
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.401
- Substituted for A3327
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 48–12
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
Show 11 earlier actions
- 1st report cal.326
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 50–11
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.527
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
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.
Disclose Prepaid Minutes Expiration
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Erik Dilan
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2861
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 30, 2019
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to the expiration of minutes purchased with prepaid cellular telephone cards
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraphs e and f of subdivision 2 of section 92-f of the public service law, as added by chapter 651 of the laws of 1999, are amended and a new paragraph g is added to read as follows:
e. any expiration date or expiration policy; [and]
f. instructions for use of the card[.]; and
g. in the case of a company that offers prepaid cellular telephone services by means of a prepaid calling card, such prepaid calling card shall have printed on its face, in conspicuous print of a font at least two times larger that any other print printed on such card, and in bold face print that is at least ten-point sized, the expiration date for the cellular minutes purchased with the card.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04798-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to the expiration of minutes purchased with prepaid cellular telephone cards
Purpose or general idea of bill
To conspicuously disclose expiration dates on prepaid cellular calling cards.
Summary of provisions
Adds section 92-g to the Public Service Law to require disclosure of the expiration date of the cellular minutes on a prepaid cellular calling card.
Difference between original and amended version (if applicable)
Specific large print requirements.
Justification
Although current law requires disclosure of the expiration date, such information is often in very small print located on the back of a card henceforth ascertaining the expiration date is often difficult.The popu- larity of no contract prepaid cellular service is increasing and consum- ers have a right to know the terms of use without having to search through a myriad of disclosures and small fonts. Consumers often use the expiration date as the critical factor in selecting a prepaid card and as such it should be prominently displayed.
Prior legislative history
2017/18 S2356A -Referred to Energy & Telecommunications 2013-2014: S.2771-Referred to Energy & Telecommunications 2011-2012: S.1085-Referred to Energy & Telecommunications 2009-2010: S.7271-Referred to Energy & Telecommunications
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.