56:12-102 Allowing service contracts to be paused, canceled upon service recipients' admission to certain long-term care facilities.

645 words·~3 min read·/nj/title-56/chapter-12/56-12-102

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1. a. A service provider doing business in this State shall allow a service recipient to pause and, as may be applicable, cancel a contract for telecommunications service, cable television service, or Internet connection service pursuant to subsection b. of this section.

(1)A service provider shall permit a service recipient to pause, without incurring an additional fee, the contract for those services upon the admission of the service recipient to a long-term care facility. The service provider shall not resume charging the service recipient under the contract for a minimum period of 90 days. If the service recipient remains admitted to a long-term care facility after a period of 90 days, the service provider shall cancel the contract without any additional charge.

(2)The service provider shall provide a standard form to the service recipient upon request, which the service recipient and a physician shall utilize when requesting contract pause or cancellation pursuant to the provisions of this section. If the service recipient is unable to submit the standard form and a representative of the service recipient is requesting contract pause or cancellation pursuant to the provisions of this section, the representative shall submit to the service provider the standard form and a copy of the power of attorney, conservatorship, or guardianship documents verifying the representative's authority to act on behalf of the service recipient.

(3)A service provider may require written proof of a service recipient's admission to a long-term care facility. If the service provider requires written proof, then the delivery of a written notice to the service provider of the request pursuant to this subsection and a letter signed by the service recipient's physician attesting that the requirements established pursuant to this subsection are met shall be deemed sufficient proof.

(4)Nothing in P.L.2025, c.3 (C.56:12-102) shall relieve a service recipient of an obligation to return equipment to the service provider or to pay a lawful unreturned equipment charge, nor shall a service recipient be relieved from any amounts owed for any equipment purchased by the service recipient.

c. For purposes of this section:

"Assisted living facility" means an assisted living residence or comprehensive personal care home licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).

"Cable television company" and "cable television service" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 3 of P.L.1972, c.186 (C.48:5A-3).

"Certified mail" shall have the same meaning as provided in R.S.1:1-2.

"Dementia care home" means a community residential facility which:

(1)provides services to residents with special needs, including, but not limited to, persons with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders or other forms of dementia;

(2)is subject to the licensure authority of the Department of Health as a health care facility pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.); and

(3)meets the requirements of section 19 of P.L.2015, c.125 (C.26:2H-150).

"Internet service provider" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 3 of P.L.2007, c.272 (C.56:8-170).

"Long-term care facility" means a nursing home, assisted living residence, comprehensive personal care home, residential health care facility, or dementia care home licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).

"Physician" means a physician authorized by law to practice medicine in this or any other state and any other person authorized by law to treat sick and injured human beings in this or any other state.

"Service provider" means a telecommunications service provider, a cable television company, or an Internet service provider.

"Service recipient" means any individual who resides in this State who receives telecommunications service, cable television service, or Internet service from a service provider through equipment that is located in this State.

"Telecommunications service provider" means any person, business, or organization qualified to do business in this State that provides a telecommunications service that is subject to regulation by the Board of Public Utilities pursuant to Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.

L.2025, c.3.