The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5378
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 16, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to directing the
   New York state thruway authority  to  develop  and  implement  a  toll
   discount  program waiving additional costs for tolls related to travel
   on the New York state thruway for certain individuals who do not main-
   tain an E-ZPass account
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This  act shall be known and may be cited as the "thruway
 toll equality act".
   § 2. The public authorities law is amended by  adding  a  new  section
 378-b to read as follows:
   § 378-B. E-ZPASS DISCOUNT PROGRAM. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR
 REGULATION  TO THE CONTRARY, THE AUTHORITY SHALL ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT
 A DISCOUNT  PLAN  WAIVING  ANY  COSTS,  INCLUDING  FEES,  PENALTIES  AND
 SURCHARGES,  BEYOND THE AMOUNT OF ACTUAL TOLLS INCURRED DURING TRAVEL ON
 THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY SYSTEM FOR QUALIFIED  RESIDENTS  WHO  DO  NOT
 HAVE  AN  E-ZPASS  ACCOUNT OR TRANSPONDER AND WHO RECEIVE A TOLL BILL BY
 MAIL.  QUALIFIED RESIDENTS SHALL PAY AN AMOUNT  FOR  TOLLS  NOT  GREATER
 THAN  THE AMOUNT PAID BY INDIVIDUALS WHO MAINTAIN AN E-ZPASS ACCOUNT, IN
 GOOD STANDING, LINKED TO A BANK ACCOUNT OR CREDIT CARD.
   2. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, A "QUALIFIED RESIDENT" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL
 WHO:
   (A) IS A FULL-TIME RESIDENT OF THE STATE;
   (B) RECEIVES BENEFITS PURSUANT TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL  NUTRITION  ASSIST-
 ANCE  PROGRAM  (SNAP)  OR THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR
 WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN (WIC) OR WHO RECEIVES VOUCHERS  PURSUANT  TO
 SECTION 8 OF THE HOUSING ACT OF 1937;
   (C)  OWNS  OR RENTS A VEHICLE UTILIZED FOR TRAVEL ON THE STATE THRUWAY
 SYSTEM; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD08591-01-1

 A. 5378                             2
 
   (D) DOES NOT MAINTAIN AN E-ZPASS ACCOUNT OR HAVE AN E-ZPASS  TRANSPON-
 DER.
   3.  (A)  THE  AUTHORITY  SHALL NOT GENERATE A BILL OR OTHER DEMAND FOR
 PAYMENT FOR TOLLS INCURRED BY QUALIFIED RESIDENTS UNTIL THE  EARLIER  OF
 (I) THE TOLL AMOUNT DUE REACHES A THRESHOLD OF THIRTY DOLLARS, OR (II) A
 PERIOD OF ONE YEAR.
   (B)  IF  A  BILL FOR TOLLS IS NOT PAID WITHIN ONE HUNDRED TWENTY DAYS,
 FEES AND CHARGES MAY BE ASSESSED AS DETERMINED BY THE AUTHORITY.
   4. (A) THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY ONLY TO PERSONS  WHO
 DO NOT OTHERWISE QUALIFY FOR AN E-ZPASS DISCOUNT PROGRAM.
   (B)  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY E-ZPASS
 CHARGES INCURRED FOR ANY TRAVEL ORIGINATING IN  OR  TERMINATING  IN  ANY
 OTHER STATE.
   §  3.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.    Effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment
 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before
 such date.