Bill Text: NY S00395 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Provides that motor vehicles, with certain exceptions, shall not be operated with an accumulation of snow or ice on the surface thereof; establishes fines for violation of these provisions; establishes a fund for the state's portion of such fines, the "snow and ice removal fund" with 10% of the funds going to an annual DMV report on the fund, 25% going to each the DOT and the Thruway authority for establishing snow and ice removal sites on their roads, 30% for a DOT grant program and 10% for a public awareness campaign.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-11 - PRINT NUMBER 395A [S00395 Detail]

Download: New_York-2013-S00395-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                          395
                              2013-2014 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 9, 2013
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen.  DILAN  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
       AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in  relation  to  requiring
         surfaces  of certain motor vehicles to be cleared of accumulated snow,
         sleet, or hail; to amend the state finance law, the public authorities
         law and the transportation law,  in  relation  to  the  snow  and  ice
         removal  fund; and providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon
         expiration thereof
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.    The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
    2  section 1229-e to read as follows:
    3    S 1229-E. CLEARANCE OF SNOW, SLEET, AND HAIL. 1. NO PERSON SHALL OPER-
    4  ATE A MOTOR VEHICLE ON A PUBLIC STREET OR  HIGHWAY  WHILE  THERE  IS  AN
    5  ACCUMULATION  OF  SNOW, SLEET, OR HAIL ON THE ROOF OR CARGO BED SURFACES
    6  THEREOF, WHETHER OF ANY OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT, TRAILER,  OR  OTHER  CARGO
    7  COMPARTMENT IN EXCESS OF THREE INCHES.
    8    2.  THE REMOVAL OF ACCUMULATED SNOW, SLEET, OR HAIL REQUIRED BY SUBDI-
    9  VISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY DURING THE FALLING  OF  SNOW,
   10  SLEET,  OR HAIL OR WITHIN THREE HOURS AFTER THE CESSATION OF THE FALLING
   11  THEREOF.
   12    3. (A) THE OPERATOR OF A NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLE IN  VIOLATION  OF  THE
   13  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION,  EXCLUDING  A DISABLED OPERATOR, SHALL BE
   14  SUBJECT TO A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED FIFTY  DOLLARS  NOR  MORE
   15  THAN EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS.
   16    (B) THE OPERATOR, OWNER, LESSEE, BAILEE OR ANY ONE OF THE AFORESAID IF
   17  A  COMMERCIAL  MOTOR VEHICLE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN
   18  FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS NOR MORE THAN TWELVE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00411-01-3
       S. 395                              2
    1    (C) ALL FINES CREDITED TO THE STATE PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL  BE
    2  DEPOSITED  TO  THE  SNOW  AND  ICE  REMOVAL FUND ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
    3  SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR-A OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW.
    4    4.  THE  PROVISIONS  OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY AUTOMOBILE
    5  TRANSPORTER, MOTORCYCLE, OR AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE.
    6    S 2. Section 125 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter
    7  365 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
    8    S 125. Motor vehicles. Every vehicle operated or driven upon a  public
    9  highway  which  is  propelled  by  any  power other than muscular power,
   10  except (a) electrically-driven mobility assistance devices  operated  or
   11  driven  by a person with a disability, (a-1) electric personal assistive
   12  mobility devices operated outside  a  city  with  a  population  of  one
   13  million  or  more, (b) vehicles which run only upon rails or tracks, (c)
   14  snowmobiles as defined in article forty-seven of this chapter,  and  (d)
   15  all  terrain  vehicles as defined in article forty-eight-B of this chap-
   16  ter. For the purposes of title four of  this  chapter,  the  term  motor
   17  vehicle  shall  exclude  fire and police vehicles other than ambulances.
   18  For the purposes of titles four and five,  AND  SECTION  TWELVE  HUNDRED
   19  TWENTY-NINE-E of this chapter the term motor vehicles shall exclude farm
   20  type  tractors  and all terrain type vehicles used exclusively for agri-
   21  cultural purposes, or for snow plowing, other than for hire, farm equip-
   22  ment, including self-propelled machines  used  exclusively  in  growing,
   23  harvesting  or  handling farm produce, and self-propelled caterpillar or
   24  crawler-type equipment while being operated on the contract site.
   25    S 3. Section 200 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a
   26  new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
   27    3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE  GOVERNOR,  TEMPORARY
   28  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  SENATE  AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY ON AN ANNUAL
   29  BASIS FOR THE TEN YEARS COMMENCING ON AUGUST THIRTY-FIRST, TWO  THOUSAND
   30  FOURTEEN  CONCERNING  THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED TWEN-
   31  TY-NINE-E OF THIS  CHAPTER  AND  SECTION  SEVENTY-FOUR-A  OF  THE  STATE
   32  FINANCE LAW. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE INFORMATION ON:
   33    (A) THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMISSIONER AND THE NEW
   34  YORK STATE THRUWAY AUTHORITY AND THE USE OF SUCH FUNDS;
   35    (B)  HOW MANY SUMMONSES WERE ISSUED PURSUANT TO SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED
   36  TWENTY-NINE-E OF THIS CHAPTER;
   37    (C) THE OPERATION OF THE GRANT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT  TO  PARA-
   38  GRAPH  (B) OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION TWENTY-THREE OF THE TRANSPORTA-
   39  TION LAW;
   40    (D) THE PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO  PARAGRAPH  (C)
   41  OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION TWENTY-THREE OF THE TRANSPORTATION LAW;
   42    (E)  THE SEVERITY AND FREQUENCY OF TRAFFIC INCIDENTS INVOLVING SNOW OR
   43  ICE NOT PROPERLY REMOVED FROM VEHICLES BEFORE AND AFTER THE  IMPLEMENTA-
   44  TION OF SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE-E OF THIS CHAPTER; AND
   45    (F)  THE  OPERATION  OF SUCH SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL SITES ESTABLISHED BY
   46  THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT  OF  TRANSPORTATION  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION
   47  THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-NINE OF THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES LAW AND THE NEW YORK
   48  STATE  THRUWAY AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF
   49  SECTION TWENTY-THREE OF THE TRANSPORTATION LAW.
   50    S 4. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 74-a  to
   51  read as follows:
   52    S  74-A.  SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL FUND. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN
   53  THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER AND THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXA-
   54  TION AND FINANCE A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE "SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL
   55  FUND".
       S. 395                              3
    1    2. THE SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL  FINES  CREDITED
    2  TO  THE STATE FOR A VIOLATION OF SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE-E OF
    3  THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW, AND ALL OTHER  MONEYS  CREDITED  OR  TRANS-
    4  FERRED THERETO FROM ANY OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.
    5    3.  MONEYS  IN  THE  SNOW  AND ICE REMOVAL FUND MAY BE INVESTED BY THE
    6  COMPTROLLER PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION NINETY-EIGHT-A OF THIS
    7  ARTICLE AND ANY INCOME RECEIVED BY THE COMPTROLLER FROM SUCH INVESTMENTS
    8  SHALL BE ADDED TO AND BECOME PART OF, AND SHALL BE USED FOR THE PURPOSES
    9  OF SUCH FUND. ALL DEPOSITS OF SUCH MONEY SHALL, IF REQUIRED BY THE COMP-
   10  TROLLER, BE SECURED BY OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES OR OF THE  STATE
   11  OF  MARKET VALUE EQUAL AT ALL TIMES TO THE AMOUNT OF THE DEPOSIT AND ALL
   12  BANKS AND TRUST COMPANIES ARE AUTHORIZED TO  GIVE  SUCH  SECURITIES  FOR
   13  SUCH DEPOSITS.
   14    4.  MONEYS  OF  THE  FUND, FOLLOWING APPROPRIATION BY THE LEGISLATURE,
   15  SHALL BE ALLOCATED UPON A CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL OF AVAILABILITY BY THE
   16  DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET  SOLELY  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  SET  FORTH  IN  THIS
   17  SECTION.
   18    5. MONEYS IN THE FUND SHALL BE ALLOCATED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER:
   19    (A)  TEN  PERCENT OF THE MONEYS SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT
   20  OF MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE COLLECTION AND REPORTING OF DATA ON THE IMPLE-
   21  MENTATION OF SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE-E  OF  THE  VEHICLE  AND
   22  TRAFFIC LAW.
   23    (B)  TWENTY-FIVE  PERCENT  OF  THE  MONEYS SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE
   24  DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDI-
   25  VISION TWO OF SECTION TWENTY-THREE OF THE TRANSPORTATION LAW.
   26    (C) TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE MONEYS SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE  NEW
   27  YORK  STATE  THRUWAY  AUTHORITY  FOR  PURPOSES  OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED
   28  EIGHTY-NINE OF THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES LAW.
   29    (D) THIRTY PERCENT OF THE MONEYS SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO  THE  DEPART-
   30  MENT  OF  TRANSPORTATION  FOR  THE GRANT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
   31  PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION TWENTY-THREE OF  THE  TRANS-
   32  PORTATION LAW.
   33    (E)  TEN  PERCENT OF THE MONEYS SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT
   34  OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO
   35  PARAGRAPH (C) OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION TWENTY-THREE OF  THE  TRANS-
   36  PORTATION LAW.
   37    S 5. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 389
   38  to read as follows:
   39    S  389.  SNOW  AND  ICE  REMOVAL  SITES.  1.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS
   40  SECTION, THE TERM "COMMON CARRIER" SHALL MEAN ANY PERSON THAT TRANSPORTS
   41  PASSENGERS BY MOTOR VEHICLE FOR COMPENSATION BY  PROVIDING  SERVICE  FOR
   42  THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON AN INDIVIDUAL FARE BASIS OVER REGULAR OR IRREGULAR
   43  ROUTES  OR  ANY  PERSON  THAT  TRANSPORTS  PROPERTY BY MOTOR VEHICLE FOR
   44  COMPENSATION FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IT SHALL INCLUDE A BUS  LINE  WHICH
   45  IS  A MOTOR VEHICLE THAT IS USUALLY CHARACTERIZED BY THE USE OF VEHICLES
   46  HAVING A SEATING CAPACITY OF GREATER THAN TWENTY PASSENGERS; BY MULTIPLE
   47  PICKUP AND DISCHARGE POINTS ALONG DESIGNATED ROUTES; AND  BY  NO  PREAR-
   48  RANGEMENTS OR RESERVATIONS BY PASSENGERS.
   49    2.  USING  THE  MONEYS  ALLOCATED  FROM  THE SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL FUND
   50  ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR-A OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW,
   51  THE AUTHORITY SHALL ESTABLISH SNOW AND  ICE  REMOVAL  SITES  FOR  COMMON
   52  CARRIERS  ON  THE  THRUWAY. THE AUTHORITY SHALL USE THE MONEYS ALLOCATED
   53  FROM PARAGRAPH (C) OF SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR-A OF  THE
   54  STATE  FINANCE  LAW FOR THE PURCHASE, INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF SNOW
   55  AND ICE REMOVAL EQUIPMENT AT SUCH REST AREAS AND SERVICE AREAS UNDER ITS
   56  JURISDICTION AS THE AUTHORITY  DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
       S. 395                              4
    1    S 6. The transportation law is amended by adding a new section  23  to
    2  read as follows:
    3    S  23. SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL.  1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE
    4  TERM "COMMON CARRIER" SHALL MEAN ANY PERSON THAT  TRANSPORTS  PASSENGERS
    5  BY  MOTOR  VEHICLE FOR COMPENSATION BY PROVIDING SERVICE FOR THE GENERAL
    6  PUBLIC ON AN INDIVIDUAL FARE BASIS OVER REGULAR OR IRREGULAR  ROUTES  OR
    7  ANY  PERSON  THAT  TRANSPORTS PROPERTY BY MOTOR VEHICLE FOR COMPENSATION
    8  FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IT SHALL INCLUDE A BUS LINE  WHICH  IS  A  MOTOR
    9  VEHICLE  THAT  IS  USUALLY CHARACTERIZED BY THE USE OF VEHICLES HAVING A
   10  SEATING CAPACITY OF GREATER THAN TWENTY PASSENGERS; BY  MULTIPLE  PICKUP
   11  AND  DISCHARGE POINTS ALONG DESIGNATED ROUTES; AND BY NO PREARRANGEMENTS
   12  OR RESERVATIONS BY PASSENGERS.
   13    2. USING THE MONEYS ALLOCATED FROM  THE  SNOW  AND  ICE  REMOVAL  FUND
   14  ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR-A OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW,
   15  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL:
   16    (A)  ESTABLISH  SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL SITES FOR COMMON CARRIERS ON SUCH
   17  INTERSTATE AND STATE HIGHWAYS THAT ARE UNDER  THE  JURISDICTION  OF  THE
   18  DEPARTMENT. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL USE THE MONEYS ALLOCATED FROM PARAGRAPH
   19  (B)  OF  SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR-A OF THE STATE FINANCE
   20  LAW FOR THE PURCHASE, INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL
   21  EQUIPMENT AT SUCH REST AREAS AND SERVICE AREAS UNDER ITS JURISDICTION AS
   22  THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
   23    (B) ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER A SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL GRANT PROGRAM. THE
   24  DEPARTMENT SHALL USE THE MONEYS ALLOCATED FROM PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVI-
   25  SION FIVE OF SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR-A OF THE STATE  FINANCE  LAW  FOR  THE
   26  PURPOSE  OF  PROVIDING  COMMON  CARRIERS WITH MATCHING FUNDS TO PURCHASE
   27  SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL EQUIPMENT; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT
   28    (I) NO GRANT TO ANY COMMON CARRIER SHALL EXCEED  TEN  PERCENT  OF  THE
   29  TOTAL ALLOCATIONS FOR SUCH GRANT PROGRAM;
   30    (II)  EACH  APPLICANT SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ONLY ONE SUCH GRANT
   31  IN ANY TWENTY-FOUR MONTH PERIOD;
   32    (III) NO PART OF ANY SUCH GRANT SHALL BE  USED  FOR  SALARIES  OR  ANY
   33  OTHER  SERVICES OTHER THAN FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF SNOW AND
   34  ICE REMOVAL EQUIPMENT; AND
   35    (IV) THE COMMON CARRIER HAS COMMITTED SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO FULFILL  THE
   36  MATCH REQUIREMENTS OF THIS GRANT.
   37    (C)  IMPROVE  PUBLIC  AWARENESS OF THE HAZARDS OF DRIVING WITH ACCUMU-
   38  LATIONS OF SNOW AND ICE ON THE ROOF OR CARGO BED SURFACES OF MOTOR VEHI-
   39  CLES AND THE PROHIBITION THEREOF. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL  USE  THE  MONEYS
   40  ALLOCATED   FROM   PARAGRAPH   (E)   OF   SUBDIVISION  FIVE  OF  SECTION
   41  SEVENTY-FOUR-A OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW FOR THE PURPOSE OF  SUCH  PUBLIC
   42  AWARENESS  CAMPAIGN  THROUGH  EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS IN
   43  PRINT, AUDIO, VISUAL, ELECTRONIC  OR  OTHER  MEDIA  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT
   44  LIMITED TO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADVERTISEMENTS.
   45    S 7. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
   46  ing  the  date  on  which it shall have become a law; provided, however,
   47  that the amendments to section 200 of the vehicle and traffic  law  made
   48  by section three of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed Septem-
   49  ber 1, 2023.
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