Senate bill · S3845 (2025-26)

Prohibits residential landlords from charging tenants a fee for a dishonored rent check in excess of the actual costs or fees incurred by such landlord as a…

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Prohibits residential landlords from charging tenants a fee for a dishonored rent check in excess of the actual costs or fees incurred by such landlord as a result thereof

The heading above is this same sentence with its legal opening removed. No words were added, changed or reordered.

Latest action Oct 16, 2025

Prohibits residential landlords from charging tenants a fee for a dishonored rent check in excess of the actual costs or fees incurred by such landlord as a result thereof, provided such dishonored check fee was included in the initial lease.

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Where it stands

Signed into law.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A56, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Passed as A56, the matching Assembly bill.

Amends the Real Property Law.

Committee

Housing · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Judiciary · New York State Assembly, Judiciary · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Sections 1 and 2 amend respectively section 238-a of the real property law and section 5-328 of the general obligations law by adding new subdivisions providing that a landlord may only charge a tenant the Greater of the actual cost of a dishonored check or $20, provided the charge was contracted for in the initial lease and the landlord substan- tiates any costs they incurred upon request of the tenant. Section 3 provides the effective date

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateJun 12, 2025Result: passedSenate vote on A56, the matching Assembly bill.
(37) (22) (0) (4)
Vote: Committee vote · Judiciary
Senate JudiciaryMay 28, 2025Result: passed
(17) (0) (0) (2)

Cosponsors

Anna Kelles, Brian Cunningham and 13 more on Agora

Democratic15

Show all 15 on Agora

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why the sponsor says this is needed

Rent stabilized tenants are protected by regulations described in DHCR Fact Sheet 44 from landlords charging them more than the actual cost of a bounced check, provided a bounced check charge is specified in the lease. This legislation creates a statutory protection for tenants, rent stabilized or not, by capping the amount a landlord can charge a tenant for a bounced check at $20 or whatever the actual charge incurred by the landlord as a result of a tenant's check bouncing, whichever is greater, provided the landlord substantiates the actually costs they incurred upon request of the tenant.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Oct 16, 2025
Signed
SIGNED CHAP.431
NY Assembly
Oct 9, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
NY Assembly
Jun 12, 2025
3RD Reading CAL.1420
3RD READING CAL.1420
NY Senate
Jun 12, 2025
Passed a chamber
REPASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Jun 12, 2025
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED FOR S3845B
NY Senate

Show full history (19 earlier events)

Jun 4, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 29, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
May 28, 2025
1ST Report CAL.1420
1ST REPORT CAL.1420
NY Senate
May 27, 2025
In committee
RECOMMITTED TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
May 27, 2025
Passed a chamber
REPASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
May 27, 2025
Returned to Senate
RETURNED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
May 20, 2025
Amended
AMENDED ON THIRD READING 56B
NY Assembly
May 20, 2025
Recalled From Senate
RECALLED FROM SENATE
NY Assembly
May 20, 2025
Returned to Assembly
RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 19, 2025
Amend and Recommit to Judiciary
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
Apr 2, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
Apr 2, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Apr 2, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
Mar 25, 2025
Amend and Recommit to Judiciary
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
Mar 25, 2025
Amended
AMENDED ON THIRD READING 56A
NY Assembly
Feb 13, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading CAL.11
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING CAL.11
NY Assembly
Feb 11, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED
NY Assembly
Jan 30, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
NY Senate
Jan 8, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HOUSING
NY Assembly

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 21, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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