STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          6375
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                      March 7, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  M. of A. FINCH, KOLB, McDONOUGH -- Multi-Sponsored by --
          M. of A. HAWLEY -- read once and referred to the Committee  on  Corpo-
          rations, Authorities and Commissions
        AN  ACT  to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring local
          phone companies to provide customers with a cost free option to  block
          certain information-access services
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1.  Legislative findings and intent. Effective  July  1,  1989
     2  customers  who wish to block "adult" messages, group calling services or
     3  recorded information and entertainment services from their  phones  have
     4  had  to  pay  a  five  dollar  fee. The legislature finds that customers
     5  should not have to pay to block a service they never requested and  that
     6  this blocking option should be made available free of charge.
     7    §  2.  Section 91 of the public service law is amended by adding a new
     8  subdivision 8 to read as follows:
     9    8. (a) The cost for providing blocking services and informing  custom-
    10  ers  thereof,  shall  be  borne  by  the telephone company providing the
    11  blocking service, and shall not be included in that telephone  company's
    12  rate base.
    13    (b)  The  public  service  commission shall promulgate the appropriate
    14  rules and regulations within one hundred twenty days  of  the  effective
    15  date of this subdivision.
    16    §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
    17  have become a law.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05520-01-9