Bill Text: NY S03248 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Authorizes private civil actions for certain violations of the cannabis law relating to licensure.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-28 - PRINT NUMBER 3248A [S03248 Detail]
Download: New_York-2025-S03248-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3248--A 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 24, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the cannabis law, in relation to authorizing for a private right of action for certain violations The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The cannabis law is amended by adding a new section 138-c 2 to read as follows: 3 § 138-c. Private right of action. In addition to the right of action 4 granted to the office and the attorney general pursuant to this article, 5 any person who has been injured by reason of a violation of subdivision 6 one of section one hundred twenty-five of this article may bring an 7 action in their own name to enjoin such unlawful act or practice, an 8 action to recover actual damages or five thousand dollars, whichever is 9 greater, or both such actions. The court may, in its discretion, 10 increase the award of damages to an amount not to exceed three times the 11 actual damages up to ten thousand dollars, if the court finds the 12 defendant willfully or knowingly violated such section. The court may 13 award reasonable attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff. 14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD01118-03-5
