Bill Text: NY A04496 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires the release of individuals from utility corporation services in instances of domestic violence where such individuals request to opt-out in writing and provide certain documents to the utility corporation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-10-28 - signed chap.517 [A04496 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A04496-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          4496

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 4, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  DE LA ROSA  -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

        AN ACT to amend the public service law, in  relation  to  requiring  the
          release  of individuals from utility corporation services in instances
          of domestic violence

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section
     2  48-a to read as follows:
     3    § 48-a. Utility services; domestic  violence  victims.  Every  utility
     4  corporation  shall  allow  a  person who is under a shared contract with
     5  such utility corporation and who is a victim of  domestic  violence,  to
     6  opt-out  of  such  contract  without charge when such person requests to
     7  opt-out in writing and provides to such utility corporation any  of  the
     8  following documents, which shall relate to such domestic violence, with-
     9  in  six months of the document's issuance: (a) a valid domestic violence
    10  incident report form, as such term is defined in subdivision fifteen  of
    11  section  eight  hundred  thirty-seven  of the executive law; (b) a valid
    12  police report; (c) a valid order of protection; (d) a  signed  affidavit
    13  from  a  licensed  medical or mental health care provider, employee of a
    14  court acting within the scope of his or her employment, social worker, a
    15  rape crisis counselor, as defined in section forty-five hundred  ten  of
    16  the  civil  practice  law  and rules, or advocate acting on behalf of an
    17  agency that assists domestic violence victims. A claim for opting-out of
    18  such contract without charge shall be made in good faith.  Such  utility
    19  corporation shall waive the otherwise applicable charges for such person
    20  requesting to opt-out of such contract.
    21    §  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately  and shall apply to
    22  contracts entered into on and after such effective date.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07336-01-1