NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Early termination fees are built into many contracts for cable, phone and internet service. A new bill advancing in the New Jersey Senate would prohibit service providers from imposing those fees on certain people suffering hardships.
The financial distress experienced by people who need extended medical treatment at long-term care facilities shouldn’t be made worse by burdensome utility fees, according to bill sponsor, Sen. Robert Singer.
“This will affect thousands of people because, unfortunately, we have an aging population in New Jersey,” Singer said.
The senator says some people are paying $250 a month for cable, phone and internet bundles and there should be no red tape preventing them from canceling the service if they are moving into a nursing home.
“The fact of it is, if you terminate your gas or your electric, it ends that month. Cable should be the same thing.”
He says this would apply to anyone who will be out of their home for at least 90 days for medical reasons.
The bill has received committee approval, and Singer hopes it’ll be up for a full vote next month.