STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7729--B 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN SENATE October 27, 2023 ___________ Introduced by Sens. CHU, RAMOS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules -- recommitted to the Committee on Transportation in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- reported favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the suspen- sion of tolls on public roads during a state declaration of disaster emergency The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 5 of section 553 of the public authorities law, 2 as amended by chapter 626 of the law of 1963, is amended and a new 3 subdivision 5-a is added to read as follows: 4 5. To make by-laws for the management and regulation of its affairs, 5 and subject to agreements with bondholders, rules and regulations for 6 the regulation of the use of the project and the establishment and 7 collection of tolls thereon. Such rules and regulations shall authorize 8 and require the suspension of the collection of such tolls upon any 9 person using and occupying public roads on which tolls are collected 10 during a state declared emergency evacuation declared as a result of a 11 natural or a human-made disaster, and subject to a required evacuation 12 for such disaster, during a state declaration of disaster emergency 13 pursuant to section twenty-eight of the executive law. Violations of 14 such rules and regulations shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine 15 of not exceeding fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not longer than 16 thirty days, or both, except that violation of any rule or regulation 17 governing or regulating traffic on the projects of the authority shall EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD13385-07-4S. 7729--B 2 1 be a traffic infraction as the same is defined in the vehicle and traf- 2 fic law and shall be punishable as such; 3 5-a. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law or the terms of any 4 contracts, a suspension pursuant to subdivision five of this section 5 shall in no way limit or impair the rights and remedies of the bondhold- 6 ers of the authority until such bonds, together with any interest there- 7 on, with interest on any unpaid installments of interest, and all costs 8 and expenses in connection with any action or proceeding by or on behalf 9 of such holders, are fully met and discharged. The provisions of this 10 paragraph shall not in any way limit or alter the rights hereby vested 11 in the authority to fulfill the terms of any agreements made with its 12 bondholders pursuant to this section. 13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after 14 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend- 15 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen- 16 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and 17 completed on or before such effective date.