§ 399-YY — Cable television company providing telephone services

§ 399-yy. Cable television company providing telephone services. 1.\nEvery cable television company, as defined in section two hundred twelve\nof the public service law, that provides telephone service to customers\nin New York shall, at its option: a. allow a customer without fee,\npenalty or charge to use a modified or alternative name for a directory\nlisting or b. waive the otherwise applicable charges for a non-published\ntelephone listing, where the customer requests protection of its\nidentity in connection with the customer's purchase of telephone service\nand the customer is a victim of domestic violence, as defined in section\nfour hundred fifty-nine-a of the social services law. Any non-published\nlistings provided in this section shall conform to all the same\nrequirements of other non-published listings. A customer requesting such\nan accommodation shall provide an attestation in writing that they no\nlonger wish to be a party to such contract due to their status as a\nvictim of domestic violence. Such cable television company may not\nrequire such customer to disclose confidential information or details\nrelating to such customer's status as a victim of domestic violence, as\na condition of implementing such accommodation. Any customer requesting\nan accommodation pursuant to this section may also request and shall be\nprovided, at no cost to the customer, a new telephone number within\nfifteen days from the request for such accommodation. Such cable\ntelevision company shall dispose of information submitted by such\ncustomer no later than thirty days after receiving such information in a\nmanner as to maintain confidentiality of such information.\n 2. Every cable television company, as defined in section two hundred\ntwelve of the public service law, that provides television and/or\ntelephone service to customers in New York under contract including, but\nnot limited to a multi-year contract or bundled contract with such cable\ntelevision company, shall allow a person to opt-out of such contract\nwithout fee, penalty or charge when such person is a victim of domestic\nviolence and provides an attestation in writing that they no longer wish\nto be a party to such contract due to their status as a victim of\ndomestic violence. Such cable television company may not require such\nperson to disclose confidential information or details relating to such\nperson's status as a victim of domestic violence, as a condition of\npermitting such person to opt-out of such contract. Further, such cable\ntelevision company may not make release from such contract contingent\non: (a) maintaining contractual or billing responsibility of a separated\naccount with the provider; (b) approval of separation by the primary\naccount holder, if the primary account holder is not the person making\nsuch request; or (c) a prohibition or limitation on the separation as a\nresult of arrears accrued by the account. Such cable television company\nshall release such person from such contract no later than seven days\nafter receiving such opt-out request. Such cable television company\nshall dispose of information submitted by such person no later than\nthirty days after receiving such information in a manner as to maintain\nconfidentiality of such information. A claim for opting-out of such\ncontract without charge shall be made in good faith. Such cable\ntelevision company shall waive the otherwise applicable fee, penalty or\ncharge for such person requesting to opt-out of such contract. Every\ncable television company shall make information about the options and\nprocess described in this section readily available to consumers on the\nwebsite and any mobile application of the provider, in physical stores,\nand in other forms of public-facing consumer communication.\n 3. A covered provider and any officer, director, employee, vendor or\nagent thereof shall not be subject to liability for any claims arising\nfrom an action taken or omission made with respect to compliance with\nthis section.\n