Remedying fraudulent, deceptive and unconscionable business practices.

A Local Law to repeal paragraph (11) of subdivision (h) of section 2203 of the New York city charter, in relation to the declaration of deceptive trade practices, to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the licensing of industrial laundries and businesses that engage in industrial laundry delivery, the notification of accidents relating to amusement devices, the regulating of retail laundries, the remedying of fraudulent, deceptive and unconscionable business practices, and the imposition of civil penalties for violations of the provisions of title 20 of such code, to repeal section 20-635 of such code, relating to civil penalties applicable to industrial laundries and businesses that engage in industrial laundry delivery, and to amend local law number 80 for the year 2021, in relation to the effective date thereof

This bill would update Consumer Protection Law (CPL) penalty amounts and make clear that DCWP can seek daily penalties for deceptive conduct. The bill would also clarify DCWP’s power to combat online deceptive practices and define as deceptive a business’s failure to provide transactional document translations. The bill would make explicit the forms of relief for CPL violations that DCWP can seek at OATH and allow DCWP to initiate a state court case through a proceeding. This bill would also reinstate the licensing scheme for industrial laundries and businesses that engage in industrial laundry delivery and create a separate regulatory scheme for retail laundries. Additionally, this bill would codify a higher civil penalty for persons who harass DCWP personnel and require amusement operators to inform DCWP of any accidents. Finally, this bill would make technical corrections in title 20 of the Administrative Code and revise an effective date provision of local law number 80 for 2021.