File #: Int 0980-2024    Version: Name: Requiring a notice on advertisements of immigration assistance services and increasing penalties for violations of requirements that apply to immigration assistance services.
Type: Introduction Status: Enacted (Mayor's Desk for Signature)
Committee: Committee on Immigration
On agenda: 6/20/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring a notice on advertisements of immigration assistance services and increasing penalties for violations of requirements that apply to immigration assistance services
Sponsors: Julie Won, Julie Menin, Shekar Krishnan, Shahana K. Hanif, Amanda Farías, Alexa Avilés, Diana I. Ayala, Crystal Hudson, Chris Banks, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Sandy Nurse, Oswald Feliz, Gale A. Brewer, Christopher Marte, Farah N. Louis, Tiffany Cabán, Lynn C. Schulman, Carmen N. De La Rosa, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Carlina Rivera , Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
Council Member Sponsors: 21
Summary: This bill would increase civil penalties for immigration assistance service providers that do not comply with applicable requirements, such as the requirement to execute a written contract with customers, the requirement to include specific language in signage and advertisements, the requirement to retain documents, and the requirement to maintain a surety. The civil penalties would be at least $5,000 and no more than $10,000 for a first violation, and for each succeeding violation, the penalty would be at least $10,000 and no more than $15,000, except that, for violations related to prohibited conduct and guaranteeing any particular governmental action on advertisements, the civil penalties would be at least $7,500 and no more than $10,000 for the first violation and, for each succeeding violation, the penalty would be at least $18,000 and no more than $20,000. The bill would also clarify that immigration assistance service providers who advertise services via images, as well as by signs, pamphlets, newspapers, and any other means, must post or include with the advertisement a legally required notice of the services they are not authorized to provide.
Indexes: Agency Rule-making Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 980-A, 2. Summary of Int. No. 980, 3. Int. No. 980, 4. June 20, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 5. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 6-20-24, 6. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - June 20, 2024, 7. Committee Report 4/15/25, 8. Hearing Testimony 4/15/25, 9. Hearing Transcript 4/15/25, 10. Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 11. Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB, 12. Proposed Int. No. 980-A - 6/24/25, 13. Committee Report 6/30/25, 14. Hearing Testimony 6/30/25, 15. June 30, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 16. Int. No. 980-A - Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 17. Int. No. 980-A - Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
6/30/2025AJulie Won City Council Approved by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
6/30/2025*Julie Won Committee on Immigration Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/30/2025*Julie Won Committee on Immigration Amendment Proposed by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/30/2025*Julie Won Committee on Immigration Amended by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/30/2025AJulie Won Committee on Immigration Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
4/15/2025*Julie Won Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/15/2025*Julie Won Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/15/2025*Julie Won Committee on Immigration Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/15/2025*Julie Won Committee on Immigration Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/20/2024*Julie Won City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/20/2024*Julie Won City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 980-A

 

By Council Members Won, Menin, Krishnan, Hanif, Farías, Avilés, Ayala, Hudson, Banks, Brooks-Powers, Nurse, Feliz, Brewer, Marte, Louis, Cabán, Schulman, De La Rosa, Gutiérrez, Rivera and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams)

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring a notice on advertisements of immigration assistance services and increasing penalties for violations of requirements that apply to immigration assistance services

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Subdivision a of section 20-777.2 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by local law number 63 for the year 2017, is amended to read as follows:

a. Every provider who advertises immigration assistance services by signs, pamphlets, newspapers, images or any other means shall post or otherwise include with the advertisement a notice in English and in the language in which the advertisement appears. The notice must be of a conspicuous size and must state: “The individual offering to provide immigration assistance services is not an attorney licensed to practice law or accredited by the United States department of justice to provide representation before the United States citizenship and immigration services, the executive office for immigration review, the department of homeland security, the department of justice, the department of labor, the department of state or any immigration authorities and may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice.”

§ 2. Paragraph 2 of subdivision a of section 20-779.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by local law number 80 for the year 2020, is amended to read as follows:

 (2)   Civil Penalties. Any provider of immigration assistance services who violates any provision of this subchapter or any rule or regulation promulgated hereunder shall be liable for a civil penalty of not less than [five hundred dollars] $5,000 nor more than [five thousand dollars] $10,000 for the first violation and for each succeeding violation a civil penalty of not less than [one thousand dollars] $10,000 nor more than [ten thousand dollars] $15,000, except that any provider of immigration assistance services who violates section 20-776 or subdivision b of 20-777.2 of this subchapter, or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder, shall be liable for a civil penalty of not less than $7,500 nor more than $10,000 for the first violation and for each succeeding violation a civil penalty of not less than $18,000 nor more than $20,000.

§ 3. This local law takes effect immediately.

MLL/NCC

LS #14353

6/18/2025 4:30 PM