Senate Consumer Protection Committee reports seven consumer-related bills to first reading

The Senate Committee on Consumer Protection on a date not specified moved seven consumer-related bills to first reading on the Senate calendar.

Chair Senator Rachel May opened the session and listed seven bills on the committee's agenda. The measures reported to first reading included legislation on consumer litigation funding, the use of credit history in employment decisions, contract clauses related to confession of judgment, energy-services-company disclosures, cash acceptance at retail, cancellation of subscription services via mobile apps, and disclosure of pricing changes for online grocery pickup and delivery.

Highlights from the hearing:

- Senate Bill 1104 (sponsor: Senator Cooney) — "An act to amend the general business law in relation to consumer litigation funding known as the Consumer Litigation Funding Act." The transcript notes the bill previously passed the Senate in 2018 and 2024. The committee moved and seconded the measure and reported it to first reading.

- Senate Bill 3072 (sponsor: Senator Sanders in the transcript) — "An act to amend the general business law in relation to prohibiting the disclosure or use of a person's consumer credit history to an employer, labor organization, employment agency, or agent thereof for purposes of employment decisions." Committee discussion included recorded concerns from at least one member who said they would register an "AWR" (avail without recommendation) because of possible unintended consequences; another speaker indicated differing votes (the transcript records "an a and a y r"). The bill was reported to first reading.

- Senate Bill 3695 (sponsor: Senator Sanders) — "An act to amend the general business law in relation to prohibiting the inclusion of a confession of judgment in a contract or agreement for a financial product or service." The committee moved the measure and reported it to first reading.

- Senate Bill 3876 (sponsor: Senator Paulman Seager in the transcript) — "An act to amend the general business law in relation to requiring comparison of energy services companies." Committee members noted constituent complaints about energy service companies; the bill was reported to first reading.

- Senate Bill 4153 (sponsor: Senator Sanders) — Retail cash-acceptance bill. The committee discussed exemptions for overnight or small businesses and potential impacts on unbanked customers and employees; the panel reported the measure to first reading. (Separate article details the committee's discussion on this bill.)

- Senate Bill 4391 (sponsor: Senator Gennares) — "An act to amend the general business law in relation to requiring mobile applications on electronic devices, which provide a subscription service shall allow the cancellation of such service through its application." The committee moved and seconded the bill and reported it to first reading.

- Senate Bill 4433 (sponsor not clearly stated in the transcript) — "An act to amend the general business law in relation to the disclosure of pricing changes for online grocery delivery and online pickup services." The committee moved and seconded the bill and reported it to first reading.

Committee action for all seven items was to report the bills to first reading on the Senate calendar. For most measures the transcript records a procedural motion, a second and a voice vote; the transcript explicitly records individual objections or concerns for a subset of the bills (for example, a recorded "nay" on the retail cash bill and an "AWR" on the credit-history employment bill). The committee did not take final floor votes on any of the measures during this meeting.

Next steps: All seven bills proceed to the Senate first-reading calendar for further action. Sponsors may propose amendments before committee reconsideration or floor action.