Bill Text: NY A02166 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Relates to requiring gasoline stations to provide free air pumps and water for use in servicing motor vehicles.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-08 - referred to economic development [A02166 Detail]

Download: New_York-2013-A02166-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         2166
                              2013-2014 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 9, 2013
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. CYMBROWITZ, CAHILL, MILLMAN, SCARBOROUGH, JAFFEE,
         ROBINSON  --  Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. DenDEKKER, RUSSELL, SWEE-
         NEY, WEISENBERG -- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic
         Development
       AN ACT to amend the general business law and the agriculture and markets
         law, in relation to requiring gasoline stations to  provide  free  air
         pumps and water for use in servicing motor vehicles
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Section 396-x of the general  business  law,  as  added  by
    2  chapter 616 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
    3    S 396-x. Gasoline stations; air pumps required. 1. Definition. As used
    4  in  this  section:  "dealer" shall mean any person owning or operating a
    5  premise or facility with four or more gas  dispensing  nozzles  for  the
    6  retail sale of motor fuels for use in motor vehicles.
    7    2. Any dealer must provide on the premises where motor fuel is sold at
    8  retail  for  use  in  motor  vehicles  AND  MAKE AVAILABLE AT NO COST TO
    9  CUSTOMERS, a functioning motor driven air compressor capable of  inflat-
   10  ing  automobile  tires [for use by customers], A GAUGE FOR MEASURING AIR
   11  PRESSURE, AND WATER, FOR USE IN  SERVICING  ANY  MOTOR  VEHICLE,  during
   12  hours in which such station is open for business.
   13    3.  (A)  Wilful  failure to comply with the provisions of this section
   14  shall subject a dealer to a civil penalty of up to  [twenty-five]  FIFTY
   15  dollars  for  each  day  such  failure  occurs. If the failure to comply
   16  results from the breakdown of the air compressor, the failure to  repair
   17  within a reasonable time shall constitute wilful conduct.
   18    (B)  THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION MAY BE ENFORCED
   19  CONCURRENTLY BY THE DIRECTOR OF A MUNICIPAL CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE,  OR
   20  BY THE TOWN ATTORNEY, CITY CORPORATION COUNSEL, OR OTHER LAWFUL DESIGNEE
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD06190-01-3
       A. 2166                             2
    1  OF  A  MUNICIPALITY  OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND ALL MONEYS COLLECTED UNDER
    2  THIS SECTION SHALL BE RETAINED BY SUCH MUNICIPALITY OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
    3    (C) NO DEALER SHALL BE GUILTY OF THE INFRACTION SPECIFIED IN PARAGRAPH
    4  (A)  OF THIS SUBDIVISION IF THAT PERSON, WITHIN SEVEN DAYS AFTER RECEIV-
    5  ING NOTIFICATION FROM THE  DIRECTOR  OF  A  MUNICIPAL  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS
    6  OFFICE,  OR  THE  TOWN  ATTORNEY, CITY CORPORATION COUNSEL, OTHER LAWFUL
    7  DESIGNEE OF A MUNICIPALITY OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OR ATTORNEY  GENERAL  OF
    8  ANY  VIOLATION  OF THIS SECTION, MAKES WHATEVER CHANGES ARE NECESSARY TO
    9  COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
   10    4. EVERY DEALER IN THIS STATE SHALL DISPLAY, AT  A  CONSPICUOUS  PLACE
   11  ON,  AT,  OR NEAR THE DISPENSING APPARATUS, AT LEAST ONE CLEARLY VISIBLE
   12  SIGN WHICH SHALL READ AS FOLLOWS: "NEW YORK LAW REQUIRES THIS STATION TO
   13  PROVIDE FREE AIR AND WATER FOR AUTOMOTIVE PURPOSES TO ITS CUSTOMERS.
   14    IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT NOTIFY THE STATION ATTENDANT AND/OR CALL  THIS
   15  TOLL-FREE  TELEPHONE NUMBER: 1(800)_____________." ALL LETTERS, FIGURES,
   16  OR NUMERALS ON SUCH SIGN, HOWEVER AFFIXED, MARKED, IMPRINTED, PLACED, OR
   17  EMBOSSED, SHALL BE AT LEAST THREE-FOURTHS OF AN INCH IN HEIGHT  AND  ALL
   18  LINES  OR  MARKS  USED  IN  THE  MAKING  OR  FORMING OF ALL THE LETTERS,
   19  FIGURES, OR NUMERALS WHICH ARE A PART OF THE  SIGN  SHALL  BE  AT  LEAST
   20  ONE-EIGHTH OF AN INCH IN WIDTH. AS USED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, "AUTOMOTIVE
   21  PURPOSES" DOES NOT INCLUDE THE WASHING OF VEHICLES.
   22    S  2.  Section  16  of  the  agriculture and markets law is amended by
   23  adding a new subdivision 45 to read as follows:
   24    45. (A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL, NO LATER THAN JANUARY FIRST,  TWO  THOU-
   25  SAND  FOURTEEN,  ESTABLISH  A  TOLL-FREE  TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR RECEIVING
   26  COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE PROVISION OF FREE AIR AND WATER  TO  CUSTOMERS
   27  OF  GASOLINE  STATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED NINETY-SIX-X OF
   28  THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW, AS ADDED BY CHAPTER SIX HUNDRED SIXTEEN OF THE
   29  LAWS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR, AND SUBDIVISION SIX OF SECTION ONE
   30  HUNDRED NINETY-TWO OF  THIS  CHAPTER.  THE  TOLL-FREE  TELEPHONE  NUMBER
   31  THEREBY  ESTABLISHED  SHALL  BE PRINTED ON THE SIGN REQUIRED PURSUANT TO
   32  SUCH SECTION. THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER MAY BE AN EXISTING NUMBER ESTABLISHED
   33  BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR RECEIVING INQUIRIES FROM CONSUMERS.
   34    (B) EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT, UPON NOTICE OF A COMPLAINT  FORWARDED
   35  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION,  OR  BY  ANY OTHER MEANS, SHALL FORWARD THE
   36  CONTENTS OF SUCH COMPLAINT TO  THE  APPROPRIATE  MUNICIPALITY  OR  LOCAL
   37  GOVERNMENT FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADDRESSING SUCH COMPLAINT.
   38    S  3. Subdivision 6 of section 192 of the agriculture and markets law,
   39  as added by chapter 126 of the laws of  1985,  is  amended  to  read  as
   40  follows:
   41    6.  Gasoline  stations;  air pumps required. a. Definition. As used in
   42  this subdivision: "dealer" shall mean any person owning or  operating  a
   43  premise  or  facility  with  four or more gas dispensing nozzles for the
   44  retail sale of motor fuels for use in motor vehicles.
   45    b. Any dealer must provide on the premises where motor fuel is sold at
   46  retail for use in motor vehicles AND MAKE AVAILABLE AT NO COST  a  func-
   47  tioning  motor  driven  air  compressor  capable of inflating automobile
   48  tires [for use by customers], A GAUGE FOR MEASURING  AIR  PRESSURE,  AND
   49  WATER,  FOR  USE  IN  SERVICING ANY MOTOR VEHICLE, during hours in which
   50  such station is open for business.
   51    c. (I) Wilful failure to comply with the provisions of  this  subdivi-
   52  sion  shall  subject  a dealer to a civil penalty of up to [twenty-five]
   53  FIFTY dollars for each day such failure occurs. If the failure to comply
   54  results from the breakdown of the air compressor, the failure to  repair
   55  within a reasonable time shall constitute wilful conduct.
       A. 2166                             3
    1    (II) THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAPH B OF THIS SUBDIVISION MAY BE ENFORCED
    2  CONCURRENTLY  BY THE DIRECTOR OF A MUNICIPAL CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE, OR
    3  BY THE TOWN ATTORNEY, CITY CORPORATION COUNSEL, OR OTHER LAWFUL DESIGNEE
    4  OF A MUNICIPALITY OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND ALL MONEYS  COLLECTED  THERE-
    5  UNDER SHALL BE RETAINED BY SUCH MUNICIPALITY OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
    6    (III)  NO  DEALER  SHALL BE GUILTY OF THE INFRACTION SPECIFIED IN THIS
    7  SUBDIVISION IF THAT PERSON, WITHIN SEVEN DAYS AFTER RECEIVING  NOTIFICA-
    8  TION  FROM  THE  DIRECTOR OF A MUNICIPAL CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE, OR THE
    9  TOWN ATTORNEY, CITY CORPORATION COUNSEL,  OTHER  LAWFUL  DESIGNEE  OF  A
   10  MUNICIPALITY  OR  LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OR ATTORNEY GENERAL OF ANY VIOLATION
   11  OF THIS SUBDIVISION, MAKES WHATEVER CHANGES ARE NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH
   12  THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   13    D. EVERY DEALER IN THIS STATE SHALL DISPLAY, AT  A  CONSPICUOUS  PLACE
   14  ON,  AT,  OR NEAR THE DISPENSING APPARATUS, AT LEAST ONE CLEARLY VISIBLE
   15  SIGN WHICH SHALL READ AS FOLLOWS: "NEW YORK LAW REQUIRES THIS STATION TO
   16  PROVIDE FREE AIR AND WATER FOR AUTOMOTIVE PURPOSES TO ITS CUSTOMERS.
   17    IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT NOTIFY THE STATION ATTENDANT AND/OR CALL  THIS
   18  TOLL  FREE  TELEPHONE NUMBER: 1 (800) __________." ALL LETTERS, FIGURES,
   19  OR NUMERALS ON SUCH SIGN, HOWEVER AFFIXED, MARKED, IMPRINTED, PLACED, OR
   20  EMBOSSED, SHALL BE AT LEAST THREE-FOURTHS OF AN INCH IN HEIGHT  AND  ALL
   21  LINES  OR  MARKS  USED  IN  THE  MAKING  OR  FORMING OF ALL THE LETTERS,
   22  FIGURES, OR NUMERALS WHICH ARE A PART OF THE  SIGN  SHALL  BE  AT  LEAST
   23  ONE-EIGHTH  OF AN INCH IN WIDTH. AS USED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, AUTOMOTIVE
   24  PURPOSES DOES NOT INCLUDE THE WASHING OF VEHICLES.
   25    S 4. This act shall take effect  April  1,  2014;  provided  that  the
   26  department  of  agriculture  and  markets  shall establish the toll-free
   27  telephone number as required by section two of this  act  on  or  before
   28  January 1, 2014.
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