The Assembly Consumer Affairs and Protection Committee this week reported out a dating service bill that some lawmakers jokingly linked to disgraced former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, DN Capitol Bureau Chief Ken Lovett reports.The "social referral service" bill would increase the fee that dating services can charge to $2,500, up from $1,000.
In exchange, there would be several consumer protections added to the existing law, according to the measure's sponsor Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer, a Queens Democrat who chairs the Consumer Affairs Committee.
A day after her bill moved out of committee, Pheffer took playful abuse on the floor of the Assembly from some colleauges who said they weren't aware dating services are regulated by the state.
"I call it Governor's Program Bill #9," said one assemblyman in a reference to Spitzer's identification as Client 9 in a federal indictment of a high-price call girl operation. "It's going to help the rich find dates."
Another lawmaker joked:
"Are black socks mandatory?"
Pheffer waived off the banter and said she expects a companion bill will be introduced in the Senate The Assembly bill has been moved to the Codes Committee and has not yet come to the floor for a vote.
Irocinally, Pheffer is also sponsoring a bill called the "Internet Dating Safety Act.". That one has no same-as in the Senate.
