[Adopted 6-29-1999 by L.L. No. 22-1999 (Ch. 273 of the 1985 Code)]
A. 
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that comparison shopping by consumers looking for dry-cleaning services has been rendered difficult by a general lack of readily available pricing information.
B. 
This Legislature further finds that there is little protection for the dry-cleaning consumer who wishes to retrieve clothing when a dry-cleaning establishment closes.
C. 
The Legislature also finds that such establishments charge higher prices for dry cleaning comparable articles of female clothing than for dry cleaning articles of male clothing.
D. 
This Legislature further finds and determines that there is little protection for the dry cleaner in matters of disposition of unclaimed items.
E. 
Therefore, the purpose of this article is to protect the interest of the consumer of dry-cleaning services by licensing dry cleaners and giving consumers the maximum amount of pricing information feasible, to render equitable charges for dry cleaning both male and female clothing and to allow consumers a contact to retrieve clothing when a dry-cleaning establishment closes.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DIRECTOR
The Director of the County Office of Consumer Affairs.
OFFICE
The County Office of Consumer Affairs.
PERSON
Any natural person, individual, corporation, unincorporated association, proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock association or other entity or business organization of any kind.
STORE
Any retail establishment within Suffolk County which sells or offers for sale dry-cleaning services.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the dry-cleaning business within the County of Suffolk without first obtaining a license from the Office in accordance with the provisions of this article.
[Amended 6-6-2000 by L.L. No. 11-2000; 11-30-2001 by L.L. No. 23-2001; 12-17-2002 by L.L. No. 4-2003]
A. 
All applications for licenses shall be submitted in writing on forms furnished by the Office and shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee in the amount of $200. The initial license fee to be paid upon issuance of the license, and the license fee to be paid every year thereafter, shall be $200.
[Amended 3-24-2009 by L.L. No. 10-2009]
B. 
The license application shall be filed by the actual operator of a dry-cleaning establishment and shall be signed under oath. Where a corporation is an applicant or a participant in an application, the application shall be signed under oath by an officer of such corporation.
C. 
All applications shall include the residence address and telephone number of the individual who subscribes his or her name to the application.
D. 
The Director may require the names and residence addresses of any employees or officers of the applicant, in addition to any other information which he or she may deem advisable and proper.
E. 
An individual applicant must be at least 18 years of age, of good character and financially responsible.
F. 
The Director shall investigate such applicant as to good character and as to whether he, she, or it is financially responsible.
G. 
Applicants shall meet the requirements prescribed by law and any other rules or regulations promulgated hereunder by the Director.
H. 
The Office shall issue a license to each applicant who has submitted satisfactory evidence of his or her qualifications and who has complied with all of the requirements of this article.
I. 
All licenses, except temporary licenses, shall be for periods of two years from the date of issuance thereof at the discretion of the Office and shall expire on the last day of the 24th month immediately succeeding such issuance. Subsequent renewals shall be for periods of two years.
J. 
No license issued hereunder shall be assignable or transferable.
K. 
An application for renewal of a license shall be made on a form provided by the Office, accompanied by the required fee. Said application shall be filed with the Office not less than 30 days prior to the expiration of the existing license. Failure to file an application as above shall require the applicant to submit an application as if it were an original application. An application shall be filed with the Office following revocation of a license. A license shall expire upon a change of owner or operator, on the date stipulated by the Office, upon revocation, upon death of the license holder, upon abandonment of the facility or property or upon surrender to the Office.
L. 
No licensee shall authorize or permit the use of his or her license by or on behalf of any other person.
M. 
Each licensee shall, within seven business days after a change of address or business name, notify the Office, in writing, of such change.
N. 
No license shall be suspended or revoked nor a fine imposed until after a hearing has been conducted in accordance with the procedural provisions of the Office.
O. 
No applicant for a license or license renewal shall have any outstanding judgment for child support against him or her, or be in arrears in child support payments as determined by official court records or official government records, at the time an application is filed for such license or license renewal. If an applicant has such a judgment against him or her, or is in such arrears, but is current in payments on a judicially approved, or Child Support Enforcement Bureau sanctioned, payment schedule to pay off or reduce such judgment or arrears, then such individual shall not be deemed ineligible for a license or license renewal on the grounds of such judgment or arrears. At least 30 days prior to the expiration of a license, the Office shall send a written notice to a licensee informing said licensee of his or her obligation to comply with the provisions of this section pertaining to compliance with child-support obligations. If necessary, a second written notice shall be sent by the Office to a licensee 60 days after the license has lapsed informing said licensee of his or her obligation to comply with the provisions of this section pertaining to compliance with the child support obligations. In addition, the County Department of Social Services, through its Child Support Enforcement Bureau, shall notify all current noncustodial parents of the obligations contained herein.
A. 
Any person who sells, offers for sale or exposes for sale at retail, in a store, dry-cleaning services shall disclose to the consumer the price of such services by a sign to be conspicuously, clearly and plainly marked showing the selling price in Arabic numbers.
B. 
Any person who sells, offers for sale or exposes for sale at retail, in a store, dry-cleaning services shall post the same prices for dry-cleaning services for cleaning male and female clothing of the same type.
C. 
Such signs shall be posted in conspicuous places within the store highly visible to customers and must list base prices and may include the words "and up."
A. 
Any store may dispose of items which are not claimed and picked up by customers within a six-month period without liability to the store.
B. 
A store shall post such policy in a conspicuous place within the store.
[Amended 7-2-2004 by L.L. No. 21-2004]
The Director is hereby authorized to issue and promulgate such rules and regulations as he or she may deem necessary to implement and carry out the provisions of this article. The Director is further authorized, empowered and directed to notify all license holders, by mail, of any change to this article, including amendments to penalties. All new licensees shall receive a copy of Chapter 427 at the time of granting the license. Any applicant for license renewal shall receive a copy of Chapter 427 at the time of each renewal of the license.
[Amended 7-2-2004 by L.L. No. 21-2004]
A. 
Failure to comply with § 427-4, 427-5 or 427-6 of this article shall constitute a violation punishable by a fine not to exceed $100 per violation for the first offense and not to exceed $250 for the second and each subsequent offense. Failure to comply with § 427-3 of this article shall constitute a violation punishable by a fine not to exceed $250 per violation for the first offense and $500 for the second and each subsequent offense. Each continuing day of such violation shall constitute a separate violation.
B. 
The Director shall have the power to impose a civil fine, not to exceed $500, upon a licensee or to suspend or revoke a license or to deny an application for the renewal of a license for any one or more of the following causes:
(1) 
Fraud, deceit, misrepresentation or bribery in securing a license.
(2) 
The making of any false statement in an application for a license.
(3) 
Having had a valid license which has been suspended or revoked, continued operation of such store under a suspended or revoked license.
(4) 
Violation of any other rule or regulation promulgated hereunder.
A. 
This article shall apply to dry-cleaning prices posted, and actions occurring, on or after January 1, 2000.
B. 
This article shall not apply to any person engaging in the dry-cleaning business within Suffolk County who:
(1) 
Is licensed by the State of New York as a dry-cleaning establishment;
(2) 
Posts the New York dry-cleaning license in a location readily and clearly accessible to consumers; and
(3) 
Files with the Office a written duplicate of the information provided to New York State for such license.
This article shall be null and void on the day that statewide legislation goes into effect, incorporating either the same or substantially similar provisions as are contained in this article, or in the event that a pertinent state or federal administrative agency issues and promulgates regulations preempting such action by the County of Suffolk. The County Legislature may determine via mere resolution whether or not identical or substantially similar statewide legislation has been enacted for the purposes of triggering the provisions of this section.