S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5553
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 13, 2019
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Introduced by M. of A. BRABENEC -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing
local school districts and municipalities to determine and establish
school speed limits
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision (a) of section 1620 of the vehicle and traffic
law, as amended by chapter 563 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read
as follows:
(a) The department of transportation with respect to state highways
maintained by the state outside of cities having a population in excess
of one million, and highways on Indian reservations, may by order, rule
or regulation establish higher or lower maximum speed limits at which
vehicles may proceed on or along such highways than the fifty-five miles
per hour statutory maximum speed limit. No such maximum speed limit
shall be established at less than twenty-five miles per hour, except
that school speed limits may be established at not less than fifteen
miles per hour, for a distance not to exceed one thousand three hundred
twenty feet, on a highway passing a school building, entrance or exit of
a school abutting on the highway. THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MUNICI-
PALITY WITHIN WHICH A SCHOOL IS LOCATED SHALL DETERMINE AND ESTABLISH
THE MAXIMUM SPEED AT WHICH VEHICLES MAY PROCEED ON A HIGHWAY LOCATED IN
A SCHOOL ZONE. Absence of signs installed pursuant to this section shall
be presumptive evidence that the department of transportation has not
established a higher maximum speed limit than the fifty-five miles per
hour statutory limit.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 1622 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
amended by chapter 563 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read as
follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08065-01-9
A. 5553 2
1. Establish maximum speed limits at which vehicles may proceed on or
along such highways higher or lower than the fifty-five miles per hour
statutory maximum speed limit. No such limit shall be established at
less than twenty-five miles per hour, except that school speed limits
may be established at not less than fifteen miles per hour, for a
distance not to exceed one thousand three hundred twenty feet, on a
highway passing a school building, entrance or exit of a school abutting
on the highway. THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MUNICIPALITY WITHIN WHICH
A SCHOOL IS LOCATED SHALL DETERMINE AND ESTABLISH THE MAXIMUM SPEED AT
WHICH VEHICLES MAY PROCEED ON A HIGHWAY LOCATED IN A SCHOOL ZONE.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.