Bill Text: NY A10643 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Amended

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Bill Title: Requires telephone companies to disclose information to subscribers regarding the backup power solution for their voice service equipment.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-11-06 - print number 10643a [A10643 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A10643-Amended.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                        10643--A

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                      June 17, 2020
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Paulin) --
          read once and referred to the Committee on  Corporations,  Authorities
          and   Commissions  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
          reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

        AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to  requiring  tele-
          phone  companies  to disclose information to subscribers regarding the
          backup power solution for their voice service equipment; and providing
          for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

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

     1    Section  1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section
     2  104 to read as follows:
     3    § 104.   Corporation disclosure  obligation  concerning  backup  power
     4  solutions.    1.  At  minimum annually, every regulated telephone corpo-
     5  ration which has provided a  current  subscriber  with  a  backup  power
     6  solution for a facilities-based, fixed voice service offered as residen-
     7  tial  service  that  is  not line powered, provided by such corporation,
     8  shall provide such subscriber with either a written notice  or,  if  the
     9  subscriber  has  elected, an electronic notice, disclosing the following
    10  information:
    11    (a) service limitations with and without backup power;
    12    (b) purchase and replacement information, including cost;
    13    (c) expected backup power duration;
    14    (d) proper usage and storage conditions, including the impact on dura-
    15  tion of backup power life if failing to adhere to proper usage and stor-
    16  age conditions;
    17    (e) suggestions on how to maximize backup  power  during  a  prolonged
    18  power outage; and
    19    (f)   subscriber   backup   power   self-testing  and  self-monitoring
    20  instructions.
    21     Such notice shall be sent to the subscriber separately  from  his  or
    22  her monthly billing statements or invoice.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD16650-04-0
        A. 10643--A                         2

     1     2.(a)  The  commission  may  promulgate  rules and regulations adding
     2  additional requirements for the content of the disclosure as required in
     3  subdivision one of this section.
     4    (b)  The  commission  shall  further  promulgate rules and regulations
     5  regarding the form of the written notice in order to promote readability
     6  by requiring that the notice:
     7    (1) be written in a clear and coherent manner;
     8    (2) be written in at least eleven-point font size; and
     9    (3) wherever practicable, use words with common and everyday meanings.
    10    3. The commission shall establish procedures to assure, to the fullest
    11  extent practicable, that residential subscribers receiving  fixed  voice
    12  service  from  one  telephone  corporation,  but  using  a  backup power
    13  solution provided by a different telephone  corporation,  shall  receive
    14  the  notice  required by this section, or a similar notice detailing the
    15  information required by this section, from one of the providers.
    16     4. The disclosure required by 47 CFR 9.20(d) may satisfy  the  notice
    17  requirement  of  subdivision  one  of this section, provided it complies
    18  with the commission's rules and regulations regarding format as required
    19  by paragraph (b) of subdivision two of this section.
    20    § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
    21  law and shall expire and be deemed repealed December 31, 2025.