Senate Bill S4363

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4363
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 3, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. TEDISCO, BORRELLO -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 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

 S. 4363                             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.