Bill Text: NJ A5825 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Requires cable television, direct broadcast satellite, and television streaming service companies to include certain fees and charges for service in advertised price to consumers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-01-06 - Received in the Senate without Reference, 2nd Reading [A5825 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2018-A5825-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY, No. 5825

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 14, 2019

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  PAUL D. MORIARTY

District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)

Assemblyman  DANIEL R. BENSON

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Assemblywoman  CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Burzichelli

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires cable television, direct broadcast satellite, and television streaming service companies to include certain fees and charges for service in advertised price to consumers.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning certain price advertising and supplementing P.L.1972, c.186 (C.48:5A-1 et seq.) and Title 56 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a. A CATV company shall not advertise its price for CATV service to a consumer in this State unless the advertised price is the total billable amount that the CATV company will charge to a consumer for the provision of CATV service based on the minimum equipment necessary per television set to receive and operate the CATV service that is being advertised. A price advertised to a consumer shall include, but not be limited to, any broadcast programming fee, administrative and service fee, or cable television equipment fee per television set, including set-top box and remote rental fee.

     b.    The provisions of subsection a. of this section shall not prohibit a CATV company from including in its advertised price for CATV service to a consumer in this State any tax, fee, or other charge that, pursuant to federal or State law, the CATV company is required to charge to a consumer and, pursuant to federal law, may itemize on a bill for CATV service.

 

     2.    a. A direct broadcast satellite service company or television streaming service company doing business in this State shall not advertise a price for television service to a consumer in this State unless the advertised price is the total billable amount that the company will charge to a consumer for the provision of the television service based on the minimum equipment necessary per television set to receive and operate the service that is being advertised. A price advertised to a consumer shall include, but not be limited to, any broadcast programming fee, administrative and service fee, or television equipment fee per television set, including set-top box and remote rental fee, if applicable.

     b.    The provisions of subsection a. of this section shall not prohibit a direct broadcast satellite service company or a television streaming service company from including in its advertised price for television service to a consumer in this State any tax, fee, or other charge that, pursuant to federal or State law, the company is required to charge to a consumer and, pursuant to federal law, may itemize on a bill for service.

     c.     As used in this section:

     "Direct broadcast satellite service" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2019, c.188 (C.56:12-99).

     "Television streaming service" means a service that transmits over the Internet video content that is played continuously without download and whose provider charges a fee to consumers in this State.

 

     3.    A violation of section 2 of P.L.    , c.      (pending before the legislature as this bill) shall be an unlawful practice and violation of

P.L.1960, c.39 (c.56:8-1 et seq.).

 

     4.    This act shall take effect immediately, but shall remain inoperative for 60 days following the date of enactment.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill prohibits cable television (CATV), direct broadcast satellite, and television streaming service companies from advertising prices for television service to a consumer in this State unless the advertised price is the total billable amount that the company will charge to a consumer for the provision of television service based on the minimum equipment necessary per television set to receive and operate the television service that is being advertised. A price advertised to a consumer is to include, but not be limited to, any broadcast programming fee, administrative and service fee, and television equipment fee per television set, including set-top box and remote rental fee, if applicable. The bill does not prohibit CATV, direct broadcast satellite, or television streaming service companies from including in advertised prices for television service to a consumer in this State any tax, fee, or other charge that, pursuant to federal or State law, the company is required to charge to a consumer and, pursuant to federal law, a company may itemize on a bill for television service.

     The bill provides that a violation of section 2 of the bill is to be an unlawful practice and violation of the New Jersey consumer fraud act.  An unlawful act under the consumer fraud act is punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for the first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense, in addition to other penalties.

feedback