STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4363 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 3, 2021 ___________ Introduced by Sens. TEDISCO, BORRELLO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to directing the New York state thruway authority to develop and implement a toll discount program waiving additional costs for tolls related to travel on the New York state thruway for certain individuals who do not main- tain an E-ZPass account The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "thruway 2 toll equality act". 3 § 2. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 4 378-b to read as follows: 5 § 378-b. E-ZPass discount program. 1. Notwithstanding any law, rule or 6 regulation to the contrary, the authority shall establish and implement 7 a discount plan waiving any costs, including fees, penalties and 8 surcharges, beyond the amount of actual tolls incurred during travel on 9 the New York state thruway system for qualified residents who do not 10 have an E-ZPass account or transponder and who receive a toll bill by 11 mail. Qualified residents shall pay an amount for tolls not greater 12 than the amount paid by individuals who maintain an E-ZPass account, in 13 good standing, linked to a bank account or credit card. 14 2. As used in this section, a "qualified resident" means an individual 15 who: 16 (a) is a full-time resident of the state; 17 (b) receives benefits pursuant to the supplemental nutrition assist- 18 ance program (SNAP) or the special supplemental nutrition program for 19 women, infants and children (WIC) or who receives vouchers pursuant to 20 Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937; 21 (c) owns or rents a vehicle utilized for travel on the state thruway 22 system; and EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD08591-01-1S. 4363 2 1 (d) does not maintain an E-ZPass account or have an E-ZPass transpon- 2 der. 3 3. (a) The authority shall not generate a bill or other demand for 4 payment for tolls incurred by qualified residents until the earlier of 5 (i) the toll amount due reaches a threshold of thirty dollars, or (ii) a 6 period of one year. 7 (b) If a bill for tolls is not paid within one hundred twenty days, 8 fees and charges may be assessed as determined by the authority. 9 4. (a) The provisions of this section shall apply only to persons who 10 do not otherwise qualify for an E-ZPass discount program. 11 (b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any E-ZPass 12 charges incurred for any travel originating in or terminating in any 13 other state. 14 § 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall 15 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment 16 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation 17 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before 18 such date.