Directs the public service commission to formulate a process, rules and regulations for the regulation of the charges and fees of internet and cable providers.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1229
SPONSOR: Jacobson TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to directing the
public service commission to formulate a process, rules and regulations
for the regulation of the charges and fees of internet and cable provid-
ers
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To direct the Public Service Commission to formulate a process rules and
regulations for the regulation of the charges and fees of internet and
cable providers, including requests for increases in changes in the
amount of fees and charges
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section l renumbers subdivisions 11, 12 and 13 of section 215 of the
Public Service Law to 12, 13 and 14 and adds a new subdivision 11 is
added to direct the Public Service Commission to formulate a process,
rules and regulations for the regulation of the charges and fees of
internet and cable providers. This would include the regulation of tele-
vision rates and other services that the internet and cable providers
deliver and the requests for increases in changes in the amount of fees
and charges for such services.
Section 2 sets forth the effective date which shall be 120 days after
the bill becomes a law.
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, internet and cable service providers in New York State are
unregulated with respect to subscriber fees and charges. This means that
cable and internet providers may increase charges at will which means
charges are unpredictable. This also means internet and cable subscrib-
ers may be subject to hidden fees they aren't aware of when signing up
for service.
In most small cities, suburban and rural parts of New York State,
consumers have only one choice for internet and cable service, making
these providers in these areas a monopoly. Even where there is more than
one provider, there is no regulation by any governmental agency to
control and determine proper rate increases. Increases in rate charges
are subject to the whims of the provider.
Today, the internet is as essential as electrical service. It is clear
that these internet and cable providers should be regulated like other
essential monopolistic service providers such as electric and gas utili-
ties and telephone companies.
This bill would do just that by directing the Public Service Commission
to formulate a process, rules and regulations to regulate the fees and
charges that cable and internet service providers bill to their custom-
ers. New York residents should not be held hostage to sudden and uncon-
trolled price increases and costly hidden fees for services which have
become necessities in almost every area of modem life.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021.-2022: A7089 - Referred to Assembly Corporations, Authorities and
Commissions Committee
S7455 - Referred to Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1229
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JACOBSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to directing the
public service commission to formulate a process, rules and regu-
lations for the regulation of the charges and fees of internet and
cable providers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivisions 11, 12 and 13 of section 215 of the public
2 service law are renumbered subdivisions 12, 13 and 14 and a new subdivi-
3 sion 11 is added to read as follows:
4 11. To the extent permitted by, and not contrary to applicable federal
5 law and rules and regulations, formulate a process, rules and regu-
6 lations for the regulation of the charges and fees of internet and cable
7 providers, including television rates and other services that the inter-
8 net and cable providers deliver, including requests for increases and
9 changes in the amount of fees and charges;
10 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
11 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
12 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
13 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
14 completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03284-01-3
