Senate Bill S4000A

                                BILL NUMBER:S4000A

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the executive law, in relation to the prohibition of new or
extensions of existing contracts by the state or any municipality
to provide a person with the use of
a vehicle on a twenty-four hour basis

PURPOSE:
This bill provides that neither the state nor any municipal
subdivision thereof and any department, bureau, board, commission,
authority or any other agency or instrumentality of the state or any
municipal subdivision thereof shall provide or enter into a contract
or agreement to provide any person the use of a vehicle on a
twenty-four hour basis.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 - adds a new section 162-a
to the Executive Law to provide that the state, and any municipal
subdivision thereof and any department, bureau, board, commission,
authority or any other agency or instrumentality of the state or any
municipal subdivision thereof shall provide or enter into a contract
or agreement to provide any person the use of a vehicle on a
twenty-four hour basis.

              

Section 2 - Effective date.

CURRENT LAW:
Currently, twenty-four hour vehicles are provided to
employees by state and local governments across the state.

JUSTIFICATION:
Twenty-four hour employee use of a vehicle is an
extravagance that our state and local governments can no longer
afford. Often, this perk is justified on the basis that the employee
may be called at any time, but there is no reason why, when most
employees are responsible for getting to work with their own
transportation, a select few should get this special treatment.
Getting to and from work should be a prerequisite for all employees.
The costs of purchasing or leasing, maintaining and insuring these
vehicles by state and local governments is enormous. With business
and individual taxpayers "tightening their belts" to survive the
current economic downturn, it is both appropriate and prudent that
the state also cut unnecessary expenses.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Substantial savings to state and local governments.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2009-2010: S.4568 -- FINANCE
2011:      S.4000 -- FINANCE

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect April 1, 2013.