S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5997
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 25, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law and the vehicle  and  traffic
   law,  in  relation  to  the  exemption of disabled veterans from tolls
   collected by the New York state thruway authority

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 361 of the public
 authorities  law,  as  amended  by  chapter  621 of the laws of 1998, is
 amended to read as follows:
   (a) In addition to the powers conferred by  the  vehicle  and  traffic
 law,  the  authority  is  hereby authorized to promulgate such rules and
 regulations for the use and occupancy of the thruway as may be necessary
 and proper for the public safety and convenience, for  the  preservation
 of  its  property  and  for the collection of tolls and provided further
 that the authority, in consultation with  the  departments  of  environ-
 mental  conservation and transportation, is hereby authorized to promul-
 gate rules and regulations necessary to implement a heavy  duty  vehicle
 roadside  inspection program pursuant to section 19-0320 of the environ-
 mental conservation law.  SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL AUTHORIZE THE
 EXEMPTION FROM THE COLLECTION OF SUCH TOLLS  UPON  ANY  NEW  YORK  STATE
 RESIDENT  WHO  IS A VETERAN AND IS CERTIFIED BY THE UNITED STATES VETER-
 ANS' ADMINISTRATION OR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AS ENTITLED TO  RECEIVE
 DISABILITY  PAYMENTS  UPON  THE  CERTIFICATION OF SUCH ADMINISTRATION OR
 DEPARTMENT FOR A DISABILITY INCURRED BY HIM OR HER IN TIME OF WAR.
   § 2. Subdivision 4 of section 1630 of the vehicle and traffic law,  as
 amended  by section 2 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59 of the laws
 of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   4. Charging of tolls, taxes, fees, licenses or permits for the use  of
 the  highway  or  any of its parts or entry into or remaining within the
 central business district established by article  forty-four-C  of  this
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD04871-01-1

 S. 5997                             2
 
 chapter,  where  the  imposition  thereof is authorized by law.  NO SUCH
 TOLL SHALL BE IMPOSED BY THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY AUTHORITY  UPON  ANY
 NEW  YORK STATE RESIDENT WHO IS A VETERAN AND IS CERTIFIED BY THE UNITED
 STATES VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION OR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AS ENTITLED
 TO  RECEIVE  DISABILITY PAYMENTS UPON THE CERTIFICATION OF SUCH ADMINIS-
 TRATION OR DEPARTMENT FOR A DISABILITY INCURRED BY HIM OR HER IN TIME OF
 WAR.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately the  addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or
 before such effective date.