NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3536
SPONSOR: Santabarbara TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring navi-
gation systems utilizing GPS technology to identify the height of any
bridge or overpass along a proposed route
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation mandates that navigation systems and electronic'•maps
furnish users with the legal clearance height information of bridges and
overpasses along proposed routes. The primary objective is to mitigate
the rising number of bridge strikes in New York due to ineffective warn-
ings from GPS systems.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
The bill introduces Section 390-f to the general business law, stipulat-
ing that navigation systems and electronic maps using GPS, guiding motor
vehicle drivers along proposed routes, must incorporate the legal clear-
ance height of each bridge or overpass. It also states that a system is
in compliance if it includes legal clearance heights on proposed routes
and informs on its system that drivers and users are the ones responsi-
ble to comply with vehicle height and weight restrictions' and other
traffic laws.
JUSTIFICATION:
Increased traffic, guided by navigation systems and apps with GPS, has
led to a surge in bridge strikes in New York. This legislation aims to
address this issue by compelling GPS systems to provide comprehensive
warnings about the clearance heights of bridges and overpasses, with the
goal of ultimately reducing the occurrence of bridge strikes.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3536
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring navi-
gation systems utilizing GPS technology to identify the height of any
bridge or overpass along a proposed route
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
2 390-f to read as follows:
3 § 390-f. Global positioning system navigation. 1. No electronic map or
4 navigation system which utilizes global positioning system (GPS) tech-
5 nology to direct the driver of a motor vehicle to a specified destina-
6 tion along a proposed route or routes shall be offered for use or sale
7 in this state unless such map or navigation system provides the legal
8 clearance of each bridge or elevated structure along a proposed route
9 generated in response to a request or information provided by a user.
10 For the purposes of this section, the term "legal clearance" shall have
11 the same meaning as such term is used in title eight of the vehicle and
12 traffic law requiring signs with such legal clearance to be posted at
13 all bridges and elevated structures on highways under the jurisdiction
14 of the department of transportation, other state authorities, county
15 superintendents of highways, towns, cities and villages.
16 2. No electronic map or navigation system shall be in violation of
17 this section, provided that such electronic map or navigation system
18 includes accurate and updated legal clearance information to the great-
19 est extent practicable and instruction, through terms of service or
20 elsewhere on the map or system, that the driver or user shall be respon-
21 sible for such driver or user's vehicle complying with all vehicle
22 height and weight restrictions or all laws of the road.
23 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
24 it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06698-01-5
