Garden State Times

The Senate Commerce Committee has advanced a bill sponsored by Senator Robert Singer that aims to assist individuals entering long-term care facilities in canceling their cable, phone, and internet services without facing early termination fees.

Senator Singer, representing district 30, emphasized the importance of the legislation by stating, "Individuals who require medical attention at long-term care facilities shouldn't be burdened with the expense of early termination fees from their cable, phone, and internet providers." He added, "This legislation would eliminate these fees for individuals who under no fault of their own cannot physically use the services that they are paying for." Sen. Singer further highlighted that "Requiring telecommunication companies to waive early termination fees can help vulnerable seniors cancel their contracts without hassle so they can focus on their medical needs."

The key provisions of the bill, known as S-684, include mandating cable, phone, and internet companies to permit customers to terminate their service contracts without incurring an early termination fee following a physician's referral to a long-term care facility for a stay of at least 90 days.

Individuals interested in reviewing the full text of the bill can access it online. For further inquiries or to discuss the bill with Senator Singer, individuals are encouraged to reach out to Chris Sivel, SRO Deputy Director of Communications, at [email protected].