Requires charges for telephone calls based on duration, whether over lines or by cellular, to be charged and prorated by the second basis

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Gianaris and 1 co-sponsor

Requires all telephone calls, landline or cellular, to be billed per second, prorated by the second, improving billing precision and transparency for consumers.

REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Quick snapshot

Bill number: S 7227

Title/purpose (as introduced): Requires charges for telephone calls based on duration, whether over lines or by cellular, to be charged and prorated by the second basis

Status: Referred to Energy and Telecommunications

Introduced: April 4, 2025

Primary sponsor: Michael Gianaris

Cosponsor: Liz Krueger

Related/companion bills: A 6120 (companion)

Related bills from prior sessions: S 2425, S 577, S 2511, S 2671, S 1282, S 1248, S 174

What the bill would do (purpose and intent)

The bill would require charges for all telephone calls (whether delivered over traditional lines or cellular networks) to be billed on a per-second basis. In other words, call duration would be prorated by the second rather than by larger time increments (for example, by the minute or other rounding conventions).

The underlying intent is to increase billing precision for consumers and ensure charges reflect actual call time.

Key provisions and changes (as described)

Billing basis: All telephone call charges must be calculated and billed to the second. This implies per-second measurement and prorating of each call duration.

Scope: Applies to both landline (over lines) and cellular telephone calls.

Proration method: Charges would be prorated by the second, aligning billing with exact call length.

Note: The specific text of the bill (definitions, implementation standards, and any transitional rules) is not provided here. The summary reflects the primary stated change inferred from the bill’s title.

Who would be affected

Telecommunication providers: Operators of landline and cellular services would need to adopt per-second billing, potentially updating invoicing systems, call detail records, and billing software.

Consumers: End users would see charges that more precisely reflect actual call time, potentially reducing costs for many short calls and increasing transparency.

Regulators/State agencies: The Energy and Telecommunications committee and related state regulatory bodies would oversee implementation, enforcement, and any required rulemaking or guidance.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Current status: Referred to the Energy and Telecommunications committee on April 4, 2025.

Actions in the record: The bill has an introduced date and the stated committee referral; no further actions are documented in the provided information.

Legislative trajectory: As with most bills, passage would require committee review, potential amendments, and floor votes in both chambers, followed by assent from the governor. A companion bill exists (A 6120), indicating alignment across the Legislature.

Related context

Several related bills from prior sessions are listed (S 2425, S 577, S 2511, S 2671, S 1282, S 1248, S 174), suggesting ongoing interest in per-second billing across different bill drafts.

Companion Assembly bill: A 6120.

If you’d like, I can help compare S 7227 to its companion A 6120 or summarize the complete bill text once it becomes available.

Bill