New York State Assembly

 
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A05618 Summary:

A05618 Actions:

A05618 Committee Votes:

Committee:JUDICIARY   Chair:Lavine      
DATE:05/19/2021AYE/NAY:15/6  Action: Favorable refer to committee Rules        
Lavine
Aye
Montesano
Nay
Zebrowski
Aye
Norris
Nay
Weprin
Aye
Walsh
Nay
Braunstein
Aye
Byrnes
Nay
Quart
Aye
Brown
Nay
Steck
Aye
Tannousis
Nay
Seawright
Aye
Joyner
Aye
Abinanti
Aye
Wallace
Aye
Walker
Aye
Cruz
Aye
McMahon
Aye
Mitaynes
Aye
Rajkumar
Aye

Committee:RULES   Chair:Heastie      
DATE:06/01/2021AYE/NAY:22/8  Action: Favorable         
Heastie
Aye
Barclay
Nay
Gottfried
Aye
Hawley
Nay
Nolan
Excused
Giglio
Nay
Weinstein
Aye
Blankenbush
Nay
Pretlow
Aye
Norris
Nay
Cook
Aye
Montesano
Nay
Glick
Aye
Ra
Nay
Aubry
Aye
Brabenec
Nay
Englebright
Aye
Dinowitz
Aye
Colton
Aye
Magnarelli
Aye
Perry
Aye
Paulin
Aye
Peoples-Stokes
Aye
Benedetto
Aye
Lavine
Aye
Lupardo
Aye
Zebrowski
Aye
Thiele
Aye
Braunstein
Aye
Dickens
Aye
Davila
Aye

A05618 Floor Votes:

A05618 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          5618
 
                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    February 22, 2021
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Judiciary
 
        AN ACT to  amend  the  general  obligations  law,  in  relation  to  the
          provisions of consumer and employment contracts
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The general obligations law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
     2  section 5-303 to read as follows:
     3    §  5-303.  Consumer and employment contracts. 1. Findings. Obscure and
     4  overly complex language in consumer and employment contracts  interferes
     5  with  employees'  and consumers' ability to provide meaningful assent to
     6  their consumer and employment contracts. To ensure that private  parties
     7  comprehend  the  material terms of the consumer and employment contracts
     8  into which they enter, this section requires that merchants and  employ-
     9  ers  in  designated  forms  of  contracts  adequately disclose terms and
    10  conditions.
    11    2. Non-conforming coverage.  This section shall apply to the contracts
    12  designated in subdivision one of this  section  that  meet  any  of  the
    13  following criteria:
    14    (a)  an employment or consumer contract not written in plain language,
    15  pursuant to section 5-702 of this article, that a reasonable consumer or
    16  employee would understand; or
    17    (b) if a consumer contract, all of the material terms are not found in
    18  a single document.
    19    3. Covered contracts. The provisions of this section  shall  apply  to
    20  the following types of contracts:
    21    (a) consumer contracts; and
    22    (b) employment contracts.
    23    4.  Rights  when  a  covered contract is non-conforming. A consumer or
    24  employee may seek a court order reforming any contract covered  by  this
    25  section.  Such reformed agreement shall reflect the understanding of the
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09455-01-1
        A. 5618                             2
 
     1  parties, and the court may exclude terms not written in plain English or
     2  found in a separate document.
     3    5. Pre-existing rules. The provisions of this section shall be applied
     4  in  conjunction  with  pre-existing  rules regarding contract formation,
     5  including rules regarding reasonable notice, and the conduct a  consumer
     6  or  employee  must  manifest  in  order to assent to an agreement.   The
     7  provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to agreements  negotiated
     8  with any labor union through collective bargaining.
     9    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    10  it shall have become a law.