NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8816
SPONSOR: Eichenstein TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the real property law, in relation to
providing tenants with the right to execute leases electronically
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to provide tenants and renters with the
option of opting in to electronic lease agreements.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill gives tenants and renters the right to opt in to
electronic lease agreements, should they choose to do so, and states
that the electronic lease agreements will have the same force and effect
as paper documents.
Section 2 of this bill sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
With more and more legal documents being completed in digital format,
the current laws requiring paper documents for leases have become
outdated. Tenants and renters should have the right to opt in to elec-
tronic lease agreements for the purposes of convenience, reducing paper
consumption and its associated environmental impacts, and reducing
costs.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8816
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 9, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EICHENSTEIN -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to providing tenants
with the right to execute leases electronically
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The real property law is amended by adding a new section
2 226-d to read as follows:
3 § 226-d. Lease paper reduction election. Notwithstanding any contrary
4 service or delivery requirements of this section or any other provision
5 of law, in entering or renewing any lease or rental agreement, tenants
6 and renters shall be given the right to elect to receive and, as needed,
7 execute such lease or rental agreement, any required renewal, and any
8 rider or notice served under, or required by, the lease or any statute,
9 code, ordinance, or other authority, solely by electronic means. Those
10 electronic documents shall have the same force and effect as would paper
11 originals. This election shall not apply to any service of process or
12 predicate notices in judicial proceedings.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13295-01-5
