Int. No. 640
By the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) and Council Members Dinowitz, Hanif, Brewer and Louis
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the 311 customer service center to accept requests for service and complaints using video call functionality
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 3 of title 23 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 23-311 to read as follows:
§ 23-311 Service requests or complaints; video functions. a. The commissioner of information technology and telecommunications shall ensure that any website or mobile device application used by the 311 customer service center for the intake of 311 requests from the public is capable of video call functionality in connection with all requests for service and complaints.
b. Any video call taken pursuant to this section shall have the ability to be displayed with communication access real-time translation or similar captioning in English and, upon request and if technically feasible, each of the designated citywide languages as defined in section 23-1101. At all times the 311 customer service center shall have at least 3 call takers fluent in American Sign Language available for such video calls.
c. If the 311 customer service center records a video call in which a request for service or complaint was made, the department shall make such recording or a transcript thereof available to inspectors or other appropriate employees or contractors of relevant agencies. Such recordings or transcripts shall be kept in accordance with any applicable data retention policies of the department of information technology and telecommunications.
d. This section shall not be construed to require the 311 customer service center to record a video call in which a request for service or complaint is made, nor to prohibit such center from accepting a request for service or complaint by means other than a video call, at the requestor’s or complainant’s option.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.
Session 13
LS #4081
1/23/24
Session 12
NAW
LS #4081
11/23/22 12:44 PM