ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

ASSEMBLY, No. 1884

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  DECEMBER 5, 2022

 

      The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1884.

      As reported, this bill requires telecommunications, cable television, and Internet service providers (service providers) to allow service recipients to terminate service contracts following a physician’s referral to a long-term care facility for a period of not less than 90 days.

      Under the bill, a service provider doing business in this State is required to allow a service recipient to terminate the service contract, as provided in the bill, without incurring an early termination fee.  Unless otherwise waived by the service provider, the bill requires a service recipient to provide the service provider with no less than 45 days’ notice prior to the contract termination or cancellation.  However, if a physician’s order requires immediate relocation to a long-term care facility, this notice requirement would be waived, and the contract may be terminated within 48 hours. 

      The bill also allows a service provider to require written proof of a service recipient’s relocation to a long-term facility.  In this event, the bill provides that the delivery of a written notice to the service provider of the contract termination and a letter signed by the service recipient’s physician, no later than 45 days prior to the scheduled date of termination, would be deemed to constitute sufficient proof.

      The bill further provides that nothing in the bill is to relieve a service recipient of an obligation to return equipment to the service provider or to be charged a lawful unreturned equipment charge, nor is a service recipient relieved from any amounts owed for any equipment purchased by the service recipient.