•  Summary 
  •  
  •  Actions 
  •  
  •  Committee Votes 
  •  
  •  Floor Votes 
  •  
  •  Memo 
  •  
  •  Text 
  •  
  •  LFIN 
  •  
  •  Chamber Video/Transcript 

A04669 Summary:

BILL NOA04669
 
SAME ASSAME AS S06772
 
SPONSORSolages
 
COSPNSRBores, Simon, Davila, Gonzalez-Rojas, Dinowitz, Shrestha, Rosenthal, Paulin, Hunter, Raga, Forrest, Simone, Kelles, Epstein, Clark, McDonough, Burdick, Mamdani, Mitaynes, Carroll R, Meeks, Taylor, Seawright, Walker, Benedetto, Kim, Hyndman, Zaccaro, Novakhov, Gibbs, Cruz, Levenberg, Glick, De Los Santos, Stirpe, Reyes, Jacobson, Hevesi, Otis, Shimsky, Septimo, Gallagher, Bronson, Cunningham, Chandler-Waterman, Jackson, Weprin, Tapia, Ramos, Alvarez, Zinerman, Eachus, Woerner, Anderson
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Add Art 29 §§827 - 831, Exec L; amd §§701, 711, 713, 713-a, 715, 731, 745, 746 & 749, RPAP L; add §§235-k & 235-l, RP L
 
Establishes the civil right to counsel in eviction proceedings in New York state; creates the New York state office of civil representation; requires that covered individuals be given notice of such right to counsel.
Go to top

A04669 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          4669
 
                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    February 4, 2025
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M.  of A. SOLAGES, BORES, SIMON, DAVILA, GONZALEZ-ROJAS,
          DINOWITZ, SHRESTHA, ROSENTHAL, PAULIN, HUNTER, RAGA, FORREST,  SIMONE,
          KELLES,   EPSTEIN,   CLARK,  McDONOUGH,  BURDICK,  MAMDANI,  MITAYNES,
          R. CARROLL, MEEKS, TAYLOR, SEAWRIGHT, WALKER, BENEDETTO, KIM, HYNDMAN,
          ZACCARO,  NOVAKHOV,  GIBBS,  CRUZ,  LEVENBERG,  GLICK,  DE LOS SANTOS,
          STIRPE,  REYES,  JACOBSON,  HEVESI, OTIS, SHIMSKY, SEPTIMO, GALLAGHER,
          BRONSON, CUNNINGHAM, CHANDLER-WATERMAN, JACKSON, WEPRIN, TAPIA, RAMOS,
          ALVAREZ, ZINERMAN, EACHUS, WOERNER, ANDERSON -- read once and referred
          to the Committee on Judiciary
 
        AN ACT to amend  the  executive  law,  the  real  property  actions  and
          proceedings law and the real property law, in relation to establishing
          the  New  York state office of civil representation to provide a right
          to counsel in eviction proceedings
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section   1.  Legislative  findings.    Eviction  proceedings  have  a
     2  profoundly disparate impact on low-income  individuals  and  given  this
     3  disparate  impact,  it  is imperative that these individuals be provided
     4  legal representation in legal proceedings  that  put  their  housing  at
     5  risk.
     6    There is a fundamental human right to adequate housing accommodations.
     7  Safe,  secure,  and  accessible  housing is essential to achieving equal
     8  access to all other fundamental needs. Without housing, individuals  and
     9  families  too often cannot preserve family integrity, gain employment or
    10  other income, or enjoy  access  to  healthcare,  proper  nutrition,  and
    11  education.
    12    Eviction  proceedings and displacement as a result of evictions have a
    13  disparate impact on low-income individuals and particularly  on  low-in-
    14  come  people  of  color,  who  are disproportionately the respondents in
    15  eviction proceedings.
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07730-01-5

        A. 4669                             2
 
     1    Representation of people who are at risk  of  losing  their  homes  in
     2  legal  proceedings  preserves  access  to housing and ensures compliance
     3  with laws protecting people's rights in such proceedings. Abrupt, unwar-
     4  ranted, or unlawful  evictions  disrupt  lives  and  livelihoods,  force
     5  people  to find housing in a market with a severe shortage of affordable
     6  housing and often significantly increases the risk of homelessness.  The
     7  short- and long-term effects of housing instability are  devastating  to
     8  individuals  and  families  and  can  affect physical and mental health,
     9  employment and education. Providing a right to  counsel  to  individuals
    10  who  are  most at risk of housing instability not only protects individ-
    11  uals and families from these devastating effects, it saves public  funds
    12  that would otherwise be spent on shelters and services to people experi-
    13  encing  homelessness as well as the wide range of detrimental short- and
    14  long-term collateral consequences of housing instability.
    15    § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 29  to  read
    16  as follows:
    17                                 ARTICLE 29
    18                NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF CIVIL REPRESENTATION
    19  Section 827. Right to counsel in eviction proceedings.
    20          828. Office of civil representation.
    21          829. Powers and duties of the office of civil representation.
    22          830. Definitions.
    23          831. Provision of legal representation and community education.
    24    §  827.  Right to counsel in eviction proceedings.  The civil right to
    25  full representation by counsel in covered proceedings for eligible indi-
    26  viduals is hereby created.
    27    § 828. Office of civil representation. 1. There is hereby  established
    28  in  the executive department an office of civil representation to create
    29  and implement a program to  provide  a  right  to  counsel  pursuant  to
    30  section eight hundred twenty-nine of this article.
    31    2.  The  office  shall be headed by an executive director who shall be
    32  appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate.
    33    § 829. Powers and duties of the office of  civil  representation.  The
    34  executive director shall have the power and duty to:
    35    1.  establish  a  program  to  provide  legal representation including
    36  entering into contracts and agreements as may be necessary,  in  accord-
    37  ance with section eight hundred thirty-one of this article;
    38    2.  prepare and submit to the governor, the temporary president of the
    39  senate, and the speaker of the assembly an annual financial audit of the
    40  program's activities, prepared by a certified public accountant licensed
    41  in the state of New York and carried out in  accordance  with  generally
    42  accepted  auditing standards; and an annual report regarding the program
    43  created under section eight hundred thirty-one of this  article.    Such
    44  report  shall  include  but not be limited to the following information,
    45  disaggregated by county, provided, however, that the  information  shall
    46  not  be  required for every case where the individual refuses to provide
    47  the information or the information is not reasonably ascertainable:
    48    (a) the total number of people provided legal representation  and  the
    49  total number of people not provided legal representation and the reasons
    50  why representation was not provided;
    51    (b) the outcomes of the cases provided legal representation;
    52    (c) gender, race, ethnicity, and age;
    53    (d) postal code of residence;
    54    (e) household size;
    55    (f) estimated length of tenancy;
    56    (g) approximate household income;

        A. 4669                             3

     1    (h)  receipt  of  ongoing  public  assistance  at  the time such legal
     2  services were initiated;
     3    (i) tenancy in rent-regulated housing;
     4    (j)  tenancy  in  housing operated by or subsidized through a federal,
     5  state or local rental subsidy program;
     6    (k) legal services provided by type of legal issue;
     7    (l) a list of designated legal organizations, the geographic region in
     8  which such organizations provide services, and  the  amount  of  funding
     9  provided to each;
    10    (m)  outcomes immediately following the provision of full legal repre-
    11  sentation, as applicable and available, including, but not  limited  to,
    12  the number of:
    13    (i) judgments and stipulated agreements allowing individuals to remain
    14  in their residence;
    15    (ii)  judgments  and stipulated agreements requiring individuals to be
    16  displaced from their residence; and
    17    (iii) instances where  an  attorney  representing  an  income-eligible
    18  individual was discharged or withdrew;
    19    (n) a list of landlords involved in eviction proceedings;
    20    (o)  residential  evictions  conducted  by  sheriffs or city marshals,
    21  disaggregated by county;
    22    (p) a list  of  designated  community  organizations,  the  geographic
    23  region  in  which such organizations provide services, and the amount of
    24  funding provided to each;
    25    (q) the number of buildings  in  which  outreach  was  conducted,  the
    26  number  of workshops offered, the number of attendees at such workshops,
    27  the number of people referred to non-profits having status under section
    28  501 (C) (3) of the United States internal revenue code, and  the  number
    29  of trainings offered; and
    30    (r) an evaluation of implementation challenges and recommendations for
    31  any future programmatic improvements.
    32    3. provide an annual estimate for the funding necessary for the opera-
    33  tion of the program under section eight hundred thirty-one of this arti-
    34  cle;
    35    4.  coordinate  with  other programs providing legal representation in
    36  covered proceedings to ensure efficiency of  functions  and  to  prevent
    37  duplication of work;
    38    5.  create  a  program providing outreach and education through desig-
    39  nated community organizations, to spread awareness of  the  availability
    40  of  legal  representation  by designated legal organizations.   With the
    41  support of the  executive  director  and  adequate  funding,  designated
    42  community  organizations shall be responsible for engaging and educating
    43  tenants of their rights  in  eviction  proceedings,  including  but  not
    44  limited to:  hosting trainings and other workshops for tenants; distrib-
    45  uting  written  information to tenants; assisting tenants in forming and
    46  maintaining tenant associations; referring tenants to  designated  legal
    47  organizations;  and  other  activities  to  engage,  educate,  or inform
    48  tenants of their rights in eviction proceedings. Engagement  and  educa-
    49  tion shall be provided in designated statewide languages;
    50    6.  create and make available resources for individuals with regard to
    51  their rights in civil legal matters regarding housing accommodations  in
    52  the  languages  required  by law and such additional languages as may be
    53  necessary; and
    54    7. promulgates any rules, regulations, and guidance necessary for  the
    55  implementation of the provisions of this article.

        A. 4669                             4
 
     1    §  830.  Definitions.  For the purposes of this article, the following
     2  terms shall have the following meanings:
     3    1.  "executive  director" means the executive director of the New York
     4  state office of civil representation.
     5    2. "office" means the New York state office of civil representation.
     6    3. "eligible individual" means an individual who is at risk of  losing
     7  their  housing  accommodation  in  a covered proceeding.   An individual
     8  becomes eligible when that individual (a) becomes the subject of a pred-
     9  icate notice in a covered proceeding; or (b) is a party, or has standing
    10  to be a party, in a covered proceeding; or (c) has been determined by  a
    11  designated  legal  organization to be a person reasonably anticipated to
    12  become a party in a covered proceeding, whichever occurs earlier.
    13    4. "covered proceeding" means any proceeding to evict an individual or
    14  otherwise terminate a tenancy, any other proceeding that  is  likely  to
    15  result  in an individual losing such individual's housing accommodation,
    16  including an administrative proceeding to terminate  a  housing  subsidy
    17  and any additional proceeding as determined by the office, or a proceed-
    18  ing brought by an eligible individual to enforce the warranty of habita-
    19  bility,  or  in  response to an unlawful eviction, or in response to the
    20  unlawful actions of a landlord, as well as any  appeals  from  any  such
    21  proceedings.
    22    5. "designated legal organization" means a not-for-profit organization
    23  or  association  having non-profit status under section 501(C)(3) of the
    24  United States internal revenue code that has  the  capacity  to  provide
    25  comprehensive  and  effective legal services for the program established
    26  under section eight hundred thirty of this article. To the extent  prac-
    27  ticable, such designated legal organizations shall be organizations that
    28  maintain a practice of furnishing free or reduced cost legal services to
    29  individuals;   possess  expertise  in  the  areas  of  law  for  covered
    30  proceedings; have a demonstrated history or practice with regard to  the
    31  legal  issues  facing  low-income  residents  of  the state of New York;
    32  provide consistent, high quality supervision, oversight, training, eval-
    33  uation, and strategic response to emerging  or  changing  needs  in  the
    34  communities served; and maintain reasonable workloads and working condi-
    35  tions for their staff.
    36    6.  "designated  community organization" means a not-for-profit organ-
    37  ization or association having non-profit status under section  501(C)(3)
    38  of  the  United  States  internal  revenue code that has the capacity to
    39  provide education in a program established under section  eight  hundred
    40  thirty-one  of  this article. To the extent practicable, such designated
    41  community organization shall maintain  a  practice  of  furnishing  free
    42  services;  possess  expertise  and experience in community education and
    43  organizing, and ties to the communities they serve;  demonstrate  exper-
    44  tise  in recognizing and responding to the housing issues facing low-in-
    45  come residents of the state of New York; possess adequate  expertise  to
    46  provide consistent, high quality supervision, oversight, training, eval-
    47  uation,  and  strategic  response  to  emerging or changing needs in the
    48  communities served; and maintain reasonable workloads and working condi-
    49  tions for their staff.
    50    7. "legal representation" means ongoing legal representation  provided
    51  by  a  designated  legal  organization  to  eligible individuals and the
    52  provision of legal advice, advocacy, and assistance, including  but  not
    53  be  limited to: filing a notice of appearance, filing and preparation of
    54  pleadings and motions on behalf of eligible individuals,  court  appear-
    55  ances  on behalf of eligible individuals, pre- and post-trial settlement

        A. 4669                             5

     1  conferences, and any other activities needed to provide legal  represen-
     2  tation in a covered proceeding.
     3    8.  "housing  accommodation" means that part of any building or struc-
     4  ture or any part thereof, permanent or temporary, occupied or  intended,
     5  arranged  or designed to be used or occupied, by one or more individuals
     6  as a residence, home, dwelling unit or apartment, sleeping place, board-
     7  ing house, lodging house or hotel, and all  essential  services,  privi-
     8  leges, furnishings, furniture and facilities supplied in connection with
     9  the occupation thereof.
    10    §  831. Provision of legal representation and community education.  1.
    11  In accordance with this article, the office shall  develop  programs  to
    12  guarantee and deliver:
    13    (a)   legal representation through one or more designated legal organ-
    14  izations to eligible individuals in covered proceedings  throughout  the
    15  state; and
    16    (b)  community  outreach  and education through one or more designated
    17  community organizations regarding the programs created herein.
    18    2. In creating the programs under subdivision one of this section, the
    19  executive director shall consult with the following:
    20    (a) tenants and/or representatives of tenants,  and  community  groups
    21  representing low-income or other at-risk members of the community;
    22    (b) legal and community-based organizations;
    23    (c) representatives of the judiciary;
    24    (d)  representatives  of a municipality operating or funding a program
    25  providing legal representation, legal consultation, or community  educa-
    26  tion  and  outreach and/or representatives of the organizations involved
    27  in such programs; and
    28    (e) any other organizations or individuals  as  may  be  necessary  as
    29  determined by the executive director.
    30    3.  The  office  shall  post  on its website information regarding the
    31  programs created under this section including how individuals  may  find
    32  services available in their geographic area.
    33    4. The office shall hold one or more hearings or listening sessions in
    34  each  region  of  the  state on an annual basis to evaluate the programs
    35  created pursuant to this section and to incorporate any necessary chang-
    36  es to such programs.
    37    § 3. Section 701 of the real property actions and proceedings  law  is
    38  amended by adding a new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
    39    3.  Any  court maintaining a covered proceeding, as defined by section
    40  eight hundred thirty of the executive law, shall notify all  respondents
    41  by  mail  upon  filing of a petition, not less than fourteen days before
    42  trial, of the right to obtain legal representation pursuant  to  section
    43  eight hundred thirty-one of the executive law.
    44    § 4. The opening paragraph of section 711 of the real property actions
    45  and proceedings law, as amended by section 1 of part II of chapter 56 of
    46  the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
    47    A  tenant  shall include an occupant of one or more rooms in a rooming
    48  house or a resident, not including a transient occupant, of one or  more
    49  rooms  in a hotel who has been in possession for thirty consecutive days
    50  or longer. A tenant shall not include a squatter. For  the  purposes  of
    51  this  section,  a  squatter is a person who enters onto or intrudes upon
    52  real  property  without  the  permission  of  the  person  entitled   to
    53  possession, and continues to occupy the property without title, right or
    54  permission  of  the  owner  or  owner's  agent  or  a person entitled to
    55  possession. In the event of a conflict between the provisions  regarding
    56  squatters  of  this  section  and the provisions of subdivision three of

        A. 4669                             6
 
     1  section seven hundred  thirteen  of  this  article,  the  provisions  of
     2  section  seven hundred thirteen of this article shall be controlling. No
     3  tenant or lawful occupant of a dwelling or housing  accommodation  shall
     4  be  removed  from possession except in a special proceeding.  No special
     5  proceeding shall be maintained  under  any  provision  of  this  section
     6  unless the court has notified an individual of the right to obtain legal
     7  representation pursuant to section eight hundred thirty-one of the exec-
     8  utive  law.  A  special  proceeding may be maintained under this article
     9  upon the following grounds:
    10    § 5. Section 713 of the real property actions and proceedings  law  is
    11  amended by adding a new subdivision 12 to read as follows:
    12    12.  No  proceeding shall be maintained under this section, unless the
    13  court has provided the respondent with written notice of  the  right  of
    14  the  respondent to obtain legal representation pursuant to section eight
    15  hundred thirty-one of the executive law, in  the  manner  prescribed  in
    16  section  seven hundred forty-five of this article. Any ten-day notice to
    17  quit served pursuant  to  this  section  shall  provide  notice  of  the
    18  respondent's  right  to  obtain legal representation under section eight
    19  hundred thirty-one of the executive law.
    20    § 6. Section 713-a of the real property actions and  proceedings  law,
    21  as  amended  by  chapter  628 of the laws of 1982, is amended to read as
    22  follows:
    23    § 713-a. Special proceeding for termination of adult  home  and  resi-
    24  dence for adults admission agreements. A special proceeding to terminate
    25  the  admission agreement of a resident of an adult home or residence for
    26  adults and discharge a resident therefrom may be maintained in  a  court
    27  of  competent  jurisdiction  pursuant  to the provisions of section four
    28  hundred sixty-one-h of the social services law and nothing contained  in
    29  such section shall be construed to create a relationship of landlord and
    30  tenant between the operator of an adult home or residence for adults and
    31  a  resident  thereof.    No  proceeding  shall  be maintained under this
    32  section, unless the court  has  provided  the  respondent  with  written
    33  notice  of  the  right  of the respondent to obtain legal representation
    34  pursuant to section eight hundred thirty-one of the executive law.
    35    § 7. Section 715 of the real property actions and proceedings  law  is
    36  amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
    37    6.  No  proceeding  shall  be  maintained  under any provision of this
    38  section, unless the court  has  provided  the  respondent  with  written
    39  notice  of  the  right  of the respondent to obtain legal representation
    40  pursuant to section eight hundred thirty-one of the executive law.
    41    § 8. Section 731 of the real property actions and proceedings  law  is
    42  amended by adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
    43    5.  No  special  proceeding  prescribed by this article shall be main-
    44  tained unless the notice of petition has provided  the  respondent  with
    45  written  notice of the right of the respondent to obtain legal represen-
    46  tation pursuant to section eight hundred  thirty-one  of  the  executive
    47  law.
    48    §  9.  Section 745 of the real property actions and proceedings law is
    49  amended by adding a new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
    50    3. Where a respondent who is an eligible  individual,  as  defined  in
    51  subdivision  three of section eight hundred thirty of the executive law,
    52  appears in court without counsel, the court shall notify such respondent
    53  orally of their right to obtain legal representation pursuant to section
    54  eight hundred thirty-one of the executive law, and  if  such  respondent
    55  would like counsel, the court shall adjourn the trial and provide suffi-
    56  cient time, not less than thirty days, for such respondent to retain and

        A. 4669                             7
 
     1  consult  counsel  and shall grant such further adjournments for not less
     2  than thirty days each as are necessary for such respondent to retain and
     3  consult counsel.
     4    § 10. Subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 749 of the real property actions
     5  and proceedings law, as amended by section 19 of part M of chapter 36 of
     6  the laws of 2019, are amended to read as follows:
     7    1.  Upon  rendering  a  final judgment for petitioner, the court shall
     8  issue a warrant directed to the sheriff of the county or to any  consta-
     9  ble  or marshal of the city in which the property, or a portion thereof,
    10  is situated, or, if it is not situated in a city, to  any  constable  of
    11  any  town  in  the county, describing the property, stating the earliest
    12  date upon which execution may occur pursuant to the order of the  court,
    13  and  commanding  the officer to remove all persons named in the proceed-
    14  ing, provided upon a showing of good cause, the court may issue  a  stay
    15  of  re-letting  or renovation of the premises for a reasonable period of
    16  time. However, no court shall issue a judgment authorizing the  issuance
    17  of  a  warrant  of  eviction  against a respondent who has defaulted, or
    18  authorize the execution of an eviction pursuant to a  default  judgment,
    19  unless  the court has provided the respondent with written notice of the
    20  respondent's  right to obtain legal representation pursuant  to  section
    21  eight hundred thirty-one of the executive law in eviction proceedings in
    22  the  notice  required  by  sections  seven hundred eleven, seven hundred
    23  forty-one and seven hundred forty-five of this article.
    24    3. Nothing contained herein shall deprive the court of  the  power  to
    25  stay  or vacate such warrant for good cause shown prior to the execution
    26  thereof, or to restore the tenant to possession subsequent to  execution
    27  of  the  warrant.  The  failure  of the court to advise tenants of their
    28  right to obtain legal representation pursuant to section  eight  hundred
    29  thirty-one  of the executive law in an eviction proceeding shall consti-
    30  tute good cause to stay or vacate such warrant. In a judgment  for  non-
    31  payment of rent, the court shall vacate a warrant upon tender or deposit
    32  with  the court of the full rent due at any time prior to its execution,
    33  unless the petitioner establishes that the tenant withheld the rent  due
    34  in  bad  faith.    [Petitioner  may recover by action] The court may not
    35  order recovery by the petitioner of any sum of money which  was  payable
    36  at the time when the special proceeding was commenced and the reasonable
    37  value of the use and occupation to the time when the warrant was issued,
    38  for any period of time with respect to which the agreement does not make
    39  any provision for payment of rent, in any proceeding pending appointment
    40  of  legal representation pursuant to section eight hundred thirty-one of
    41  the executive law.
    42    § 11. Subdivision 1 of section 746 of the real  property  actions  and
    43  proceedings  law,  as  amended  by  chapter  725 of the laws of 2021, is
    44  amended to read as follows:
    45    1. In any proceeding under this article, if a stipulation is made,  on
    46  the  occasion  of a court appearance in the proceeding, setting forth an
    47  agreement between the  parties,  other  than  a  stipulation  solely  to
    48  adjourn  or  stay  the  proceeding,  and  either  the  petitioner or the
    49  respondent is not represented by counsel, the court shall fully describe
    50  the terms of the stipulation  to  that  party  on  the  record.  If  the
    51  respondent is not represented by counsel and the respondent is an eligi-
    52  ble individual, as defined in subdivision three of section eight hundred
    53  thirty  of  the  executive   law, the court shall notify such respondent
    54  orally of their right to obtain legal representation pursuant to section
    55  eight hundred thirty-one of the executive law, and  if  such  respondent
    56  would like counsel, the court shall cease the allocution and adjourn the

        A. 4669                             8
 
     1  trial  and  provide sufficient time, not less than thirty days, for such
     2  respondent to retain and consult counsel and shall  grant  such  further
     3  adjournments  for  not  less  than thirty days each as are necessary for
     4  such respondent to retain and consult counsel.
     5    §  12.  The  real  property  law is amended by adding two new sections
     6  235-k and 235-l to read as follows:
     7    § 235-k.  Lease  provisions  waiving  right  to  counsel  void.    Any
     8  provision  of  a  lease  or  contract  waiving or otherwise limiting the
     9  tenant's right  to  obtain  legal  representation  under  section  eight
    10  hundred thirty-one of the executive law shall be void and unenforceable.
    11    §  235-l.  Lease provisions shall provide notice of the right to coun-
    12  sel. Any lease or contract for  rental  of  residential  property  shall
    13  provide  notice  of  the  tenant's  right  to legal representation under
    14  section eight hundred thirty-one of the executive law.
    15    § 13. Severability clause. If any provision of this act, or any appli-
    16  cation  of  any  provision  of  this  act,  is held to be invalid, or to
    17  violate or be inconsistent with any  federal  law  or  regulation,  that
    18  shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of any other provision of
    19  this  act,  which can be given effect without that provision or applica-
    20  tion;  and to that end, the provisions and applications of this act  are
    21  severable.
    22    § 14. This act shall take effect on  the  one  hundred  eightieth  day
    23  after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that sections three
    24  through twelve of this act shall take effect five years after such date.
Go to top