S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2791
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 23, 2017
                                ___________
 
 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].
   §  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
 subdivision  3  as added by chapter 601 of the laws of 1987, are amended
 to read as follows:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD03452-01-7

 A. 2791                             2
 
   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.
   § 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
 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-

 A. 2791                             3
 
 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.
   § 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.]
   §  5.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
 131-b to read as follows:
   § 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.
   § 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.