Resolution to call on the United States Congress to pass, and the President to sign, legislation to allow consumers to cancel subscription services for deceased family members

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Res. No. 598 By Council Members Morano, Cabán and Hudson ..Title Resolution to call on the United States Congress to pass, and the President to sign, legislation to allow consumers to cancel subscription services for deceased family members ..Body Whereas, Subscription services have existed since the 17th century, and were used initially for books and newsprints; and Whereas, Memberships to services and products have grown in recent decades with consumers able to subscribe to a wide range of services, including home deliveries of perfumes, sports apparel, or car cleaning supplies, for example; and Whereas, According to research conducted by the private firm Bango, Americans pay for, on average, 5.2 subscriptions that in total cost around $830 per year; and Whereas, The number of services available to consumers has grown so numerous that there are memberships to monitor subscriptions; and Whereas, The Pew Research Center released a survey in 2025 that found 83 percent of United States (U.S.) adults use streaming services, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, for example; and Whereas, A survey from CNET conducted in 2025 found that Americans spend about $200 annually on services they do not use; and Whereas, According to a brief in 2023 by Harvard Business School Professor Elie Ofek, it is estimated that company subscription billings will grow by up to 100 percent over the next five years; and Whereas, Based on analysis released in 2025 from Grand View Research, the global subscription services market generated nearly $500 billion and will reach at least $1.5 billion by 2033; and Whereas, The process for canceling subscription services is cumbersome, particularly after a family member’s death; and Whereas, Businesses do not have a uniform system for consumers to suspend memberships; and Whereas, Some companies deliberately engage in “subscription traps” against consumers to prevent or delay cancellations; and Whereas, The cancellation procedure for memberships varies among companies and may require documents, including a death certificate, to cancel a subscription; and Whereas, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York City Department of Consumer & Worker Protection announced in April 2026 a “Click-To-Cancel” rule that addresses the difficulty of cancelling services; and Whereas, New York State enacted a rule in 2025 requiring companies to ensure cancellations are as simple as signing up, joining regulatory efforts by states such as Colorado and California; and Whereas, The Federal Trade Commission issued a “Click-to-Cancel” rule in 2024 that was later overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit court; and Whereas, S.2254, introduced by Senator Ruben Gallego [D-CA], and H.R.4819, introduced by Representative Brad Sherman [D-CA-32], would codify the FTC’s “Click-to-Cancel" rule; and Whereas, S.2253, introduced by Senator Brian Schatz [D-HI], and H.R.7048, introduced by Representative Mark Takano [D-CA-39], would streamline the cancellation process for consumers, require notification of subscription changes, and prohibit automatically signing individuals to a contract; and Whereas, No specific legislation has been introduced on the federal level that would resolve subscription cancellations in the event a subscriber passes; and Whereas, Establishing federal regulations to simplify the suspension of subscriptions would simplify the process for family members of loved ones who have passed; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the United States House of Representative and the United States Senate to introduce and pass a bill, and the President to sign legislation, to allow consumers to cancel subscription services for deceased family members. BJ LSR #24211 07/14/2026 4:21 pm

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