Int 0705-2008

Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. Chapter five of title 19 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 19-537 to read as follows: §19-537 Credit/debit cards. a. For the purposes of this section, the term “merchant bank provider” shall mean an entity approved by the New York state banking department and/or the comptroller of the currency of the United States to provide credit/debit card processing services and authorized by the commission to provide such services to enable the in-cab payment of taxicab fares, surcharges, tolls and tips. b. The commission shall not impose any restrictions on a taxicab driver’s ability to choose a merchant bank provider. c. No individual or business entity that has entered into a contract with, or is otherwise regulated by, the commission shall impose restrictions on a taxicab driver’s choice of a merchant bank provider. d. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, any individual or business entity that violates subdivision c of this section shall be subject to a fine of one thousand dollars for a first violation and a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars for any subsequent violations of subdivision c of this section. §2. This local law shall take effect thirty days after it is enacted into law. PH LS # 3979 2.06.08 - 2:30 pm