Provides that municipal broadband service companies are authorized to provide broadband service to tenants in multi-family housing; provides that landlords shall not interfere with the installation of such service, demand or accept payment for allowing the service on the property, or discriminate in rental charges between tenants who receive broadband service and those that don't.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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8131--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 1, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. KELLES -- 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 broadband service
in multi-family housing
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 228 of the public service law, as added by chapter
2 83 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 228. Landlord-tenant relationship. 1. No landlord shall (a) inter-
4 fere with the installation of cable television facilities or service
5 provided by a recipient of the municipal assistance program as estab-
6 lished by section sixteen-gg of the New York state urban development
7 corporation act, as added by section 2 of part MMM of chapter fifty-
8 eight of the laws of two thousand twenty-two upon [his] their property
9 or premises, except that a landlord may require:
10 (1) that the installation of cable television facilities or service
11 provided by a recipient of the municipal assistance program as estab-
12 lished by section sixteen-gg of the New York state urban development
13 corporation act, as added by section 2 of part MMM of chapter fifty-
14 eight of the laws of two thousand twenty-two conform to such reasonable
15 conditions as are necessary to protect the safety, functioning and
16 appearance of the premises, and the convenience and well being of other
17 tenants;
18 (2) that the cable television company or a recipient of the municipal
19 assistance program as established by section sixteen-gg of the New York
20 state urban development corporation act, as added by section 2 of part
21 MMM of chapter fifty-eight of the laws of two thousand twenty-two or the
22 tenant or a combination thereof bear the entire cost of the installa-
23 tion, operation or removal of such facilities; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11579-02-5
A. 8131--A 2
1 (3) that the cable television company or a recipient of the municipal
2 assistance program as established by section sixteen-gg of the New York
3 state urban development corporation act, as added by section 2 of part
4 MMM of chapter fifty-eight of the laws of two thousand twenty-two
5 agree to indemnify the landlord for any damage caused by the installa-
6 tion, operation or removal of such facilities.
7 (b) demand or accept payment from any tenant, in any form, in exchange
8 for permitting cable television service or service provided by a recipi-
9 ent of the municipal assistance program as established by section
10 sixteen-gg of the New York state urban development corporation act, as
11 added by section 2 of part MMM of chapter fifty-eight of the laws of two
12 thousand twenty-two on or within [his] their property or premises, or
13 from any cable television company or a recipient of the municipal
14 assistance program as established by section sixteen-gg of the New York
15 state urban development corporation act, as added by section 2 of part
16 MMM of chapter fifty-eight of the laws of two thousand twenty-two
17 in exchange therefor in excess of any amount which the commission
18 shall, by regulation, determine to be reasonable; or
19 (c) discriminate in rental charges or otherwise, between tenants who
20 receive cable television service or service provided by a recipient of
21 the municipal assistance program as established by section sixteen-gg of
22 the New York state urban development corporation act, as added by
23 section 2 of part MMM of chapter fifty-eight of the laws of two thousand
24 twenty-two and those who do not.
25 2. Rental agreements and leases executed prior to January first, nine-
26 teen hundred seventy-three may be enforced notwithstanding this section.
27 3. No cable television company or a recipient of the municipal assist-
28 ance program as established by section sixteen-gg of the New York state
29 urban development corporation act, as added by section 2 of part MMM of
30 chapter fifty-eight of the laws of two thousand twenty-two
31 may enter into any agreement with the owners, lessees or persons
32 controlling or managing buildings served by a cable television company
33 or a recipient of the municipal assistance program as established by
34 section sixteen-gg of the New York state urban development corporation
35 act, as added by section 2 of part MMM of chapter fifty-eight of the
36 laws of two thousand twenty-two, or do or permit any act, that would
37 have the effect, directly or indirectly of diminishing or interfering
38 with existing rights of any tenant or other occupant of such building to
39 use or avail [himself] themself of master or individual antenna equip-
40 ment.
41 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
