Authorizes the imposition of a fifty dollar fee on vehicles entering NYC which are registered in states which do not cooperate with New York in the enforcement of traffic infractions through the use of photo-monitoring devices or signal monitoring systems.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A10686
SPONSOR: Rules (Dinowitz)
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to fees charged
to certain motorists
 
PURPOSE:
To assign a fee to drivers with vehicles with license plates from states
which have enacted legislation that allow the drivers of those vehicles
the ability to skirt New York traffic laws which utilize technology that
prevents accidents and saves lives.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill adds § 516-c to the vehicle and traffic law
authorizing the New York City Department of Transportation ("Department)
to impose a fifty dollar fee on vehicles entering the City of New York
which displays a license plate from a state which does not provide
information related to drivers licensed from that state for the purpose
of permitting the imposition of fines or penalties for traffic infrac-
tions, including liability imposed through the use of a traffic control
signal monitoring system, speed control devices, or other photo-monitor-
ing systems to enforce certain traffic infractions.This section also
authorizes the Department to construct, operate, and maintain facilities
and equipment identifying those vehicles to collect the fee. This
section further states that the fee may be paid by the operator of the
vehicle in cash, or through the use.of the credit or debit card and
obligates the operator of the vehicle, if they are unable to pay the fee
at that time, to provide their name, address, and telephone number and
the vehicles license plate number so the Department may bill the opera-
tor of the vehicle for the fee. The Commissioner of the Department is
further required, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Finance and
any other city agency, to enter into an agreement with a financing agen-
cy or card issuer to provide for the acceptance by the City of New York
of credit cards as an alternate means of payment of the fee. Finally,
this section also requires that the revenues collected be deposited in
the general fund of the City of New York and that the Commissioner of
the Department promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the
provisions of this section.
Section two of the bill provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In 1988, New York State enacted legislation which granted New York City
(the City) the ability to launch the nation's first Red Light Camera
program in 1994. The program has been effective at deterring drivers
from disobeying red lights, with the average daily number of red-light
violations issued at each camera location declining by over 84%. To
address the pervasive problem of speeding motorist in New York City, in
2013 the City received authorization to use a limited number of speed
safety cameras in school zones during certain hours of the day. Follow-
ing a 60% drop in speeding infractions in locations where speed safety
cameras had been installed, the program was renewed, and the number of
school speed zones cameras was increased. However, safety concerns still
existed as 33% of serious deaths and injuries had occurred at times when
the speed cameras were not permitted to operate. As a result, the
program was subsequently expanded to allow speed cameras to operate
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Unfortunately, although red-light and speed safety cameras have proven
to be successful at discouraging negligent behavior, there are lawmakers
in certain states who are more interested in protecting the ability of
their drivers to drive recklessly in the City rather than have them face
the consequences of breaking the City's traffic laws, specifically those
captured by a red-light and speed cameras. When New York State join the
Driver License Compact in 1965) and successor compacts thereafter), it
joined other states in promoting compliance with the laws relating to
the operation of motor vehicles. One way this is achieved is in situ-
ations when an individual who is convicted of certain traffic offenses
is licensed to drive by another state. These compacts allow the state
where the individual has been convicted to share with the state where
they obtained their drives license that the person has been convicted of
the traffic offense, thereby allowing the state which provided them
their driver's license to treat the conviction in the same manner as if
the conviction had occurred in the home state for the purpose of admin-
istrative action, such as driver's license suspension.
There are currently states which are seeking to enact legislation which
would prohibits their Department of Motor Vehicle or equivalent and
their other state entities from disclosing the personal information of
their drivers to another state for the purpose of allowing the other
state to impose or collect a fine resulting from an alleged violation
committed in that state that is captured by a red-light or speed camera.
Although New York State cannot compel other states to adhere to the
goals of the compacts, New York State can take pre-emptive action should
another state adopt such an irresponsible policy into law.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.