Senate Bill S5194

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S5194

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to licensure
fees for seniors

 PURPOSE :

This bill waives the fees for license renewal for any person who is
sixty-two years of age or older.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 amends paragraph c of subdivision 2 of section 503 of the
vehicle and traffic law to waive the fee of license renewal for those
who are sixty-two years of age or older.

Section 2

 JUSTIFICATION :

The senior population in New York State is larger and living longer
than ever before. Many seniors throughout the State live on fixed
incomes, and due to a lack of reliable and accessible transportation
systems, a driver's license is a necessity. From getting to doctor
              

appointments to the grocery store to senior centers, the aging
population must be able to access to the services they need.

In New York State, the cost of renewing a class D license is $64.50,
and that cost only increases in 12 of the downstate counties. In
comparison, the Social Security benefits seniors receive range from a
few hundred dollars and rarely go beyond $1,000. This means that
renewing a driver's license can cost some seniors, who are already
living on pennies a day, nearly 10% of their monthly income.

While this is a financial challenge for anyone, many seniors also need
expensive prescriptions and are burdened with a variety of costly
medical care in order to remain healthy and active members of the
community. Even the small act of alleviating the cost of license
renewal fees can help millions of seniors across New York State.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New Bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

TBD.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.