Bill Text: NY S06633 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relates to fines for false alarms by an alarm system; allows a municipality to enact, adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution or regulation requiring any alarm system company to pay for or be responsible for any fines, fees or other penalties relative to false alarms only when the false alarm is attributed to a deficiency in the alarm system or an error of the alarm system company or central station.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION [S06633 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-S06633-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          6633

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                      May 10, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection

        AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to fines for false
          alarms by an alarm system

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

     1    Section  1.  Section  69-l  of  the general business law is amended by
     2  adding four new subdivisions 6, 7, 8 and 9 to read as follows:
     3    6. "Alarm system" means a system installed to detect intrusion, break-
     4  in, movement, sound or fire.
     5    7. "False alarm" means the activation of any alarm system that results
     6  in a request for police  or  fire  or  other  emergency  for  which  the
     7  responding  public safety agency finds no evidence of criminal activity,
     8  fire, or emergency.
     9    8. "Municipality" means a county, town, city or village.
    10    9. "Alarm system company" means a company licensed to  engage  in  the
    11  business of installing, servicing, or maintaining security or fire alarm
    12  systems pursuant to this article.
    13    §  2.  The  general  business  law  is amended by adding a new section
    14  69-vvv to read as follows:
    15    § 69-vvv. Fines for  false  alarms.  1.    Notwithstanding  any  other
    16  provision  of  law, a municipality may enact, adopt or enforce any ordi-
    17  nance, resolution or regulation requiring any alarm  system  company  to
    18  pay  for  or be responsible for any fines, fees or other penalties rela-
    19  tive to false alarms only when the false alarm is attributed to a  defi-
    20  ciency  in  the  alarm system or an error of the alarm system company or
    21  central station.  Nothing in this section shall prevent  a  municipality
    22  from  imposing  any  fine, fee or other penalties for a false alarm when
    23  such false alarm is attributable to, or caused by, the  property  owner,
    24  lessee, occupant or other person or persons.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD11309-01-1
        S. 6633                             2

     1    2. An alarm company operator or an alarm agent shall not be liable for
     2  civil  penalties  and  fines  assessed  or imposed by a municipality for
     3  false alarms not attributed to alarm company  operator  error,  improper
     4  installation  of  the alarm system by an alarm agent or an alarm company
     5  operator, defective equipment provided or installed by an alarm agent or
     6  an alarm company operator, defective equipment leased by an alarm compa-
     7  ny  operator,  or  equipment that was not deficient upon installation or
     8  provision for use to the end-user but resulted in a  deficiency  due  to
     9  normal wear and tear.
    10    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.