2006 New York Code - Acceptance Of Major Credit Cards As Prerequisite To Participation In City Towing Programs; Violations.

 
    §  20-520.1  Acceptance  of  major  credit  cards  as  prerequisite to
  participation in city towing programs; violations. a.  For  purposes  of
  this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
    1.  "City  towing  program"  shall mean the directed accident response
  program established pursuant to section 20-518 of this  subchapter,  the
  special  accident  response  districts  established  pursuant to section
  20-518.1 of  this  subchapter,  the  rotation  tow  program  established
  pursuant  to  section 20-519 of this subchapter, the removal of disabled
  vehicles on highways pursuant to  authorization  by  the  department  of
  transportation  or the police department, and any program whereby a city
  agency, pursuant to law, rule or agreement, directs a towing business to
  tow a vehicle without the prior consent of such vehicle's owner for  any
  reason  other than the towing of a vehicle in satisfaction of a judgment
  for an outstanding debt to the city.
    2. "Major credit card" shall mean MasterCard, Visa, American  Express,
  or Discover.
    b.  No  towing  business shall participate in any city towing program,
  unless such towing business shall: (i) satisfactorily demonstrate to the
  agency administering such program  or  authorizing  such  participation,
  that such business accepts at least two major credit cards for towing in
  accordance  with generally accepted business practices; (ii) notify such
  agency in writing of the major credit cards accepted and any changes  in
  the  major  credit cards such towing business accepts; and (iii) display
  decals identifying the major credit cards accepted  on  all  tow  trucks
  used  to  tow  vehicles  in  the  city  towing program in a manner to be
  prescribed by the commissioner.
    c. Any person participating in a city towing program  who  shall:  (i)
  fail to accept at least two major credit cards; or (ii) refuse to accept
  a credit card which such person has informed the administering agency is
  accepted  pursuant to subdivision b of this section, shall, after notice
  and opportunity to be heard, be liable for a penalty not to  exceed  one
  thousand  dollars ($1,000). Any such person who has been found guilty of
  three such violations within  the  preceding  twenty-four  month  period
  shall be removed from participation in such program for a period of time
  to  be determined by the commissioner or administering agency but not to
  exceed one year; provided, however that the provisions of  this  section
  shall  not  apply to any contract entered into between a towing business
  and a city agency prior to the date of adoption by the city  council  of
  the local law which added this section.