S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
686
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
(PREFILED)
January 5, 2011
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PEOPLES-STOKES -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
one number plate on the rear of each motor vehicle
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 402 of the vehi-
cle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 109 of the laws of 2005, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) No person shall operate, drive or park a motor vehicle on the
public highways of this state unless such vehicle shall have a distinc-
tive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a [set of] number
[plates] PLATE issued by the commissioner with a number and other iden-
tification matter if any, corresponding to that of the certificate of
registration conspicuously displayed[, one] on the [front and one on
the] rear of such vehicle, [each] EXCEPT IN CASE OF A TRACTOR WHEN SUCH
NUMBER PLATE SHALL BE DISPLAYED ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND NONE
SHALL BE DISPLAYED ON ITS REAR, securely fastened so as to prevent the
same from swinging and placed, whenever reasonably possible, not higher
than forty-eight inches and not lower than twelve inches from the
ground[; provided, however, that in any registration year for which only
one number plate is issued, such number plate shall constitute a set of
number plates for the time in which such use is authorized, shall be
displayed on the rear of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its
front, except in case of a tractor, when such number plate shall be
displayed on the front of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its
rear].
S 2. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 404-a of the vehicle and traffic
law, subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 191 of the laws of 1991 and
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04723-01-1
A. 686 2
subdivision 3 as added by chapter 601 of the laws of 1987, are amended
to read as follows:
2. Registration of vehicles owned by severely disabled persons. The
commissioner shall assign to such motor vehicles, including any van or
pick-up truck used for transporting persons with disabilities which is
not used for commercial purposes, owned by such persons, a distinctive
number and issue and deliver in such manner as the commissioner may
select to the owner a certification of registration, in such form as the
commissioner shall prescribe and two number plates, called disabled
person plates. Said disabled person plates shall conform to the require-
ments of section four hundred one of this [chapter] ARTICLE, but shall
bear distinctive marks to distinguish them from number plates to be
issued to other persons, qualifying under this chapter. [The commission-
er, in his discretion, may issue, for any registration year, only one
plate as a set for a motor vehicle, in which event a set of disabled
person plates for a motor vehicle shall consist of one plate.] Where a
severely disabled person owns more than one vehicle and such vehicle or
vehicles is or are used by severely disabled members of the owner's
family who reside with the owner, the commissioner shall issue one set
of plates for each additional vehicle used by such severely disabled
person, provided that such user qualifies as a severely disabled person
in the manner required by this section.
3. Registration of vehicles owned by severely disabled veterans. The
commissioner shall assign to such motor vehicles, including any vans or
pick-up trucks used for transporting handicapped veterans which are not
used for commercial purposes and which are owned by such veterans or a
not-for-profit corporation serving such veterans, a distinctive number
and issue and deliver in such manner as the commissioner may prescribe
to the owner a certification of registration, in such form as the
commissioner shall prescribe and two number plates, called disabled
veteran plates. Said severely disabled veteran plates shall conform to
the requirements of section four hundred one of this [chapter] ARTICLE,
but shall bear distinctive marks to distinguish them from number plates
to be issued to other persons, qualifying under this chapter. [The
commissioner in his discretion, may issue, for any registration year,
only one plate as a set for a motor vehicle, in which event a set of
severely disabled veteran plates for a motor vehicle shall consist of
one plate.] Where a severely disabled veteran owns more than one vehicle
and such vehicle or vehicles is or are used by severely disabled members
of the owner's family who reside with the owner, the commissioner shall
issue one set of plates for each additional vehicle used by such severe-
ly disabled veteran, provided that such user qualifies as a severely
disabled veteran in the manner required by this section. For purposes of
this subdivision, the term "severely disabled veteran" shall mean any
member of the armed forces of the United States who served in time of
war, as defined in section eighty-five of the civil service law, and
whose disability qualifies him as a severely disabled person within the
meaning of such term as defined in subdivision four of this section.
S 3. Subdivision 1 of section 404-j of the vehicle and traffic law, as
separately amended by chapters 182 and 277 of the laws of 1991 and such
section as renumbered by chapter 108 of the laws of 1994, is amended to
read as follows:
1. Registration of vehicles owned by veterans who survived the Pearl
Harbor attack. The commissioner shall assign to motor vehicles, owned by
persons who while on military duty serving in the armed forces of the
United States survived the Pearl Harbor attack by Japan on December
A. 686 3
seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one or the spouse of such a person, a
distinctive number and issue and deliver in such manner as the commis-
sioner may select to the owner a certification of registration, in such
form as the commissioner shall prescribe and two number plates, called
Pearl Harbor attack veterans plates. Said plates shall conform to the
requirements of section four hundred one of this [chapter] ARTICLE, but
shall bear the distinctive words PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR to distinguish
them from number plates to be issued to other persons, qualifying under
this chapter. [The commissioner, in his discretion, may issue, for any
registration year, only one plate as a set for a motor vehicle, in which
event a set of plates for a motor vehicle shall consist of one plate.]
If a distinctive plate set is issued to a Pearl Harbor attack veteran
pursuant to this section, such a distinctive plate set shall not be
issued to the spouse of such veteran.
S 4. Subdivision 4 of section 415 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
amended by chapter 7 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
4. Number plates. A dealer or other person, qualifying for limited use
of motor vehicles, motorcycles or trailers under subdivisions two and
three of this section, shall be entitled to receive one or more sets of
number plates for display thereon as the commissioner may determine,
upon payment of the required fee for each set. Number plates issued to
dealers under this section shall bear distinctive marks to distinguish
them from transporter plates to be issued to other persons qualifying
under this section. [A set of number plates shall consist of two plates
in the case of a motor vehicle and one plate in the case of a motorcycle
or trailer; provided, however, that the commissioner, in his discretion,
may issue, for any registration year, only one number as a set for a
motor vehicle, in which event a set of number plates for a motor vehicle
shall consist of one plate.]
S 5. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
131-b to read as follows:
S 131-B. SET OF NUMBER PLATES OR TWO NUMBER PLATES. SET OF NUMBER
PLATES OR TWO NUMBER PLATES MEANS ONE NUMBER PLATE PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH
(A) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION FOUR HUNDRED TWO OF THIS CHAPTER.
S 6. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided that the commissioner of motor
vehicles is authorized and directed to promulgate, amend and/or repeal
any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this
act on its effective date on or before such date.