S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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4191
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
February 6, 2017
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Introduced by Sen. DILAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the transfer
of motorcycles having parts with unidentifiable identification numbers
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 423-a of the vehicle and traffic
law, as added by chapter 976 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as
follows:
2. Assignment of a new identification number AND RETURN OF MOTOR VEHI-
CLE, TRAILER OR PART TO OWNER. If a person other than the person
arrested be the owner, the motor vehicle, trailer or part shall be
returned to him OR HER as soon as he OR SHE has arranged to have the
department of motor vehicles affix a new number, or in the case of a
part, inspect such part, and the department has done so, as provided in
section four hundred twenty-two of this [chapter] ARTICLE. Prior to the
return of the motor vehicle, trailer or part, or the transfer of custody
of said motor vehicle, trailer or part, the arresting officer shall
transmit notice of the arrest to the commissioner.
§ 2. Subdivision 3 of section 423-a of the vehicle and traffic law is
amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
(D) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS SECTION, OWNERSHIP OF
AN UNIDENTIFIABLE PART IN AN OTHERWISE IDENTIFIABLE MOTORCYCLE, OTHER
THAN A STOLEN MOTORCYCLE, HELD BY THE DEPARTMENT OR BY A POLICE DEPART-
MENT SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE OWNER OF SUCH MOTORCYCLE UPON HIS OR
HER REQUEST, PROVIDED THAT THE DEPARTMENT OR POLICE DEPARTMENT MAKES AN
INVESTIGATION AND, IF APPROPRIATE, HOLDS A HEARING AND FINDS THAT SUCH
OWNER HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT THE PART WAS UNIDENTIFIABLE AND THAT SUCH
OWNER WAS NEITHER RESPONSIBLE FOR RENDERING SUCH PART UNIDENTIFIABLE NOR
ACTING IN CONCERT WITH ANY PERSON WHO RENDERED OR HAD SUCH PART RENDERED
UNIDENTIFIABLE. SUCH TRANSFER SHALL BE MADE WITHOUT ANY PAYMENT BEING
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09230-01-7
S. 4191 2
MADE TO THE DEPARTMENT OR POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED THAT THE DEPART-
MENT'S OR POLICE DEPARTMENT'S INVESTIGATION RESULTS IN A FINDING THAT
THE PERSON HAS BEEN THE OWNER OF THE MOTORCYCLE WITH THE UNIDENTIFIABLE
PART CONTAINED THEREIN FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST EIGHTEEN MONTHS. SUCH
INVESTIGATION SHALL BE MADE BY THE DEPARTMENT OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THE REQUEST OF SUCH OWNER FOR THE RETURN OF SUCH
UNIDENTIFIABLE PART. IF THE OWNER OF SUCH MOTORCYCLE CANNOT BE ASCER-
TAINED, OR IF THE OWNER OR CUSTODIAN IS ARRESTED AND CONVICTED OF THE
THEFT OR UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF SUCH MOTORCYCLE, SUCH A TRANSFER MAY BE
MADE TO A PERSON ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF BUYING OR SELLING MOTOR
VEHICLES, TRAILERS OR PARTS WHO IS SUBJECT TO THE PRESUMPTION IN SUBDI-
VISION ONE OF SECTION FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE OF THIS ARTICLE, ONLY UPON
PAYMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OR TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF AN AMOUNT EQUAL
TO THE REASONABLE WHOLESALE VALUE OF THE PART. PROCEEDS FROM THE TRANS-
FER OF ANY SUCH PART SHALL BE PAID INTO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE STATE IF
TRANSFERRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OR THE DIVISION OF STATE POLICE, OR INTO
THE GENERAL FUND OF THE APPROPRIATE LOCAL AUTHORITY, IF TRANSFERRED BY A
LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. NO SUCH PART SHALL BE TRANSFERRED PURSUANT TO
THIS PARAGRAPH UNTIL A SPECIAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER HAS BEEN AFFIXED TO
SUCH PART AND THE APPROPRIATE FEE HAS BEEN PAID BY THE OWNER OF THE
MOTORCYCLE.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law.