The New York State Senate

                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  2781

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 29, 2019
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  LANZA  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities

AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the  city  of  New  York,  in
  relation  to  allowing  commuter vans to accept hails from prospective
  passengers in the street; and to repeal certain provisions of such law
  relating thereto

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1. Subdivision p of section 19-502 of the administrative code
of the city of New York, as amended by local law number 197 of the  city
of New York for the year 2018, is amended to read as follows:
  p. "Commuter van" means a commuter van service having a seating capac-
ity  of  at least nine passengers but not more than twenty passengers or
such greater capacity as the commission may establish by rule and carry-
ing passengers for hire in the city duly licensed as a commuter  van  by
the  commission  [and  not  permitted  to  accept hails from prospective
passengers in the street]. For purposes of the provisions of this  chap-
ter  relating  to  prohibitions against the operation of an unauthorized
commuter van service or an unlicensed commuter van and to  the  enforce-
ment  of  such  prohibitions  and  to  the  imposition  of penalties for
violations of such prohibitions and to the  seizure  and  forfeiture  of
commuter vans, the term shall also include any common carrier of passen-
gers  by  motor  vehicle not subject to licensure as a taxicab, for-hire
vehicle, or wheelchair accessible van and not operating as an authorized
bus line pursuant to applicable provisions  of  law  regardless  of  the
seating capacity of any such vehicle. The commission shall submit to the
council  the  text of any proposed rule relating to the maximum capacity
of commuter vans at the time such proposed rule is published in the City
Record.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD07204-02-9

S. 2781                             2

  § 2. Paragraph 1 of subdivision a of section 19-504 of the administra-
tive code of the city of New York, as amended by local law number 115 of
the city of New York for the year 1993, is amended to read as follows:
  (1)  A  taxi-cab,  coach,  wheelchair  accessible van, commuter van or
for-hire vehicle shall operate within the city of New York only  if  the
owner  shall  first  have obtained from the commission a taxicab, coach,
wheelchair accessible van, commuter van or for-hire vehicle license  for
such  vehicle  and  only while such license is in full force and effect.
Vehicle licenses shall be issued for a term of not  less  than  one  nor
more  than  two  years  and  shall  expire  on the date set forth on the
license unless sooner suspended or revoked by the commission.  No  motor
vehicle  other  than  a  duly  licensed taxicab OR COMMUTER VAN shall be
permitted to accept hails from passengers in the street. No commuter van
shall be operated within the city of New York unless it is  operated  as
part of a current, valid authorization to operate a commuter van service
duly issued by the commission pursuant to section 19-504.2 of this chap-
ter.
  §  3.  The  section heading and subdivision a of section 19-516 of the
administrative code of the city of New  York,  the  section  heading  as
amended  by  local  law  number 115 of the city of New York for the year
1993 and subdivision a as amended by chapter 9 of the laws of 2012,  are
amended to read as follows:
  Acceptance  of  passengers  by  for-hire vehicles [and commuter vans].
[a.] For-hire vehicles that do not possess  a  valid  HAIL  license  may
accept passengers only on the basis of telephone contract or prearrange-
ment. The commission or successor agency may establish such disciplinary
actions  as  it deems appropriate for failure to abide by the provisions
of this chapter.
  § 4. Subdivision b of section 19-516 of the administrative code of the
city of New York is REPEALED.
  § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.