S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8461--B
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
December 29, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GALLAHAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation -- recommitted to the Committee on Transporta-
tion in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- recommitted
to the Committee on Transportation in accordance with Assembly Rule 3,
sec. 2
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to creating a
series of distinctive license plates for law enforcement officers who
were wounded in the line of duty; and to amend the state finance law,
in relation to creating a wounded officers support fund
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
section 404-ff to read as follows:
§ 404-FF. DISTINCTIVE PLATES FOR NEW YORK STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFI-
CERS WHO WERE INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. 1. ANY OFFICER WHO WAS
WOUNDED IN THE LINE OF DUTY OR THE SPOUSE OF ANY SUCH OFFICER SHALL,
UPON REQUEST, BE ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE CONTAINING THE SEAL OF ONE OF
THE FOLLOWING FIVE POLICE ASSOCIATIONS: (A) NEW YORK STATE SHERIFF'S
ASSOCIATION; (B) NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE; (C)
POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION OF THE NEW YORK STATE TROOPERS; (D) THE
NEW YORK STATE POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION; AND (E) THE NEW YORK CITY
POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION. ANY PLATE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT
SHALL BEAR THE WORDS "WOUNDED IN THE LINE OF DUTY". FOR THE PURPOSES OF
THIS SECTION:
I. "WOUNDED IN THE LINE OF DUTY" SHALL BE DEFINED AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER WHO HAS SUSTAINED PERSONAL INJURY, IN THE INTELLIGENT PERFORM-
ANCE OF DUTY, INFLICTED BY AN ASSAILANT WITH A DANGEROUS AND DEADLY
WEAPON.
II. ELIGIBILITY SHALL BE VERIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT WHO EMPLOYED THE
OFFICER AT THE TIME OF INJURY AND SHALL BE REVIEWED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13807-03-4
A. 8461--B 2
III. IF A DISTINCTIVE PLATE IS ISSUED TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, SUCH A DISTINCTIVE PLATE SHALL NOT BE ISSUED
TO THE SPOUSE OF SUCH OFFICER.
IV. THE APPLICATION FOR SUCH LICENSE PLATE SHALL BE FILED WITH THE
COMMISSIONER IN SUCH FORM AND DETAIL AS PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
2. THE DISTINCTIVE PLATE AUTHORIZED UNDER SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS
SECTION SHALL BE ISSUED UPON PROOF, SATISFACTORY TO THE COMMISSIONER,
THAT THE APPLICANT OR THE SPOUSE OF THE APPLICANT IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER WHO WAS WOUNDED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
3. (A) A DISTINCTIVE PLATE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE
ISSUED IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UNDER THIS ARTICLE UPON
THE PAYMENT OF THE REQUIRED REGISTRATION FEE PRESCRIBED BY SECTION FOUR
HUNDRED ONE OF THIS ARTICLE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT AN ADDITIONAL ANNU-
AL SERVICE CHARGE OF TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR SUCH
PLATES. SUCH ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE SHALL BE DEPOSITED PURSUANT TO THE
PROVISIONS OF SECTION FOUR HUNDRED FOUR-OO OF THIS ARTICLE, TO THE CRED-
IT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES DISTINCTIVE PLATE DEVELOPMENT
FUND ESTABLISHED BY SECTION NINETY-FIVE-G OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW.
(B) MONEYS FROM SUCH DEPOSIT SHALL BE USED FOR THE PRODUCTION, DESIGN,
ADVERTISING, AND MARKETING OF DISTINCTIVE LICENSE PLATES PURSUANT TO
SECTION NINETY-FIVE-G OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT
ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGES COLLECTED IN EXCESS OF SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS BE
DEPOSITED TO THE "WOUNDED OFFICERS SUPPORT FUND" OR "THE FUND" ESTAB-
LISHED BY SECTION NINETY-SEVEN-ZZZZ OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW.
(C) MONEYS FROM THE FUND WILL BE DIRECTED FOR PURPOSES DEEMED APPRO-
PRIATE BY THE FIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATIONS AS LONG AS THE FUNDS ARE
USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING WOUNDED OR FALLEN LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
§ 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-zzzz
to read as follows:
§ 97-ZZZZ. WOUNDED OFFICERS SUPPORT FUND. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
LISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND FINANCE
AND THE COMPTROLLER, A SPECIAL FUND KNOWN AS THE "WOUNDED OFFICERS
SUPPORT FUND" OR "THE FUND".
2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL REVENUES RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THE
PROVISIONS OF SECTION FOUR HUNDRED FOUR-FF OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC
LAW AND OTHER MONEYS APPROPRIATED, CREDITED, OR TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM
ANY OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.
3. NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM
RECEIVING GRANTS, GIFTS, OR BEQUESTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FUND AS
DEFINED IN THIS SECTION AND DEPOSITING THEM INTO THE FUND ACCORDING TO
THE LAW.
4. MONEYS OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF
SUPPORTING WOUNDED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AS WELL
AS THE FAMILIES OF FALLEN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. THIS INCLUDES BUT IS
NOT LIMITED TO PROVIDING: MEDICAL TREATMENTS, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING,
HOME ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, SERVICE ANIMALS, TRANSPORTATION NEEDS,
AND FUNERAL SERVICES.
5. MONEYS OF THE FUND SHALL BE USED SOLELY FOR THE WOUNDED OFFICERS
SUPPORT FUND AND MAY NOT BE DIVERTED INTO ANY GENERAL FUND.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth 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 and
completed on or before such effective date.