Senate Bill S9959

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to the operation of autonomous taxicabs in a city having a population of one million or more

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Dec 11, 2024	referred to rules

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Add §397-d, V & T L
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:: S2688

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides that no autonomous vehicle may be used for taxi, livery or transportation network company vehicle services in any city with a population of one million or more without first being licensed by the New York City taxi and limousine commission; requires the New York City taxi and limousine commission to establish a license for use of an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab and to promulgate rules regarding such license and the operation of autonomous taxicabs.

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9959

SPONSOR: HOYLMAN-SIGAL
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the opera-
tion of autonomous taxicabs in a city having a population of one million
or more

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This legislation would require that any autonomous vehicle used for
taxis or prearranged trips to be licensed by the taxi and limousine
commission as a taxi.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

  §  1  adds a new section 398 to the Vehicle and traffic law to require
all autonomous vehicles used for ride hail, prearranged trips  or  taxis
to be licensed by the taxi and limousine commission. The taxi and limou-
sine  commission shall establish rules for the issuance of such licenses
to taxi medallion owners.

  § 2 establishes an immediate effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Although autonomous vehicle (AV) technology is  new  and  remains  under
development,  commercial  AVs  are  already in use in some major cities,
including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, and  Phoenix.  As  AV  use
expands across the United States, cities are already contending with the
impacts,  and mayors and city councils are seeking to address unforeseen
and negative consequences. The safety of the public and the preservation
of meaningful opportunities for professional drivers and small  business
owners  should  be a top priority when considering how to allow this new
technology to operate on New York streets. The taxi industry, which  has
been in place for more than a century, is comprised of tens of thousands
of  professional  drivers  - many of whom invested their life savings to
obtain a medallion allowing them to operate in  the  city.  The  profes-
sional,  licensed drivers and small businesses owners of the taxi indus-
try provide a heavily regulated, safe,  and  essential  service  to  New
Yorkers.  In cities that have already allowed the entrance of commercial
autonomous vehicles, news reports have described injuries to pedestrians
and bike riders, as well as incidents where these vehicles disobey traf-
fic laws.  This legislation would ensure that New York has the necessary
oversight and rules to regulate this emerging technology and  ensure  it
is being implemented in a thoughtful, safe and practical way.

The  entry  of  app-based  ride-share  companies  in  2011 significantly
reduced the value of taxi medallions,  in  which  drivers  had  invested
significant  life  savings.  According to the New York Times, yellow cab
revenue decreased about 10% per cab, and medallion values fell  by  90%.
By  2019,  950 medallion owners had filed for bankruptcy.  Understanding
the severity of the crisis, the City of New York stepped in and  created
the medallion relief program. Under this program, New York City has used
$100  million  in public funds to restructure medallion loans for nearly
2,000 drivers. The City has also promised to take on  the  cost  of  the
loan in the case of default.  By integrating AVs into the existing regu-

latory  system,  New  York will not only promote street safety, but also
protect the livelihoods of taxi drivers.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9959
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             December 11, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to  the  opera-
   tion  of  autonomous  taxicabs  in  a  city having a population of one
   million or more
 
   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 397-d to read as follows:
   § 397-D. AUTONOMOUS TAXICABS. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF  LAW
 TO  THE  CONTRARY, NO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE MAY BE USED FOR TAXI, LIVERY OR
 TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY VEHICLE SERVICES IN ANY CITY WITH A POPU-
 LATION OF ONE MILLION OR MORE WITHOUT FIRST BEING DULY LICENSED  BY  THE
 NEW  YORK  CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION AS A TAXICAB AS DEFINED IN
 SECTION ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT-A OF THIS CHAPTER AND SECTION 19-502  OF
 THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
   2.  NO  AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE SHALL BE LICENSED BY THE NEW YORK CITY TAXI
 AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR  HIRE  OR  PREAR-
 RANGED  TRIPS,  UNLESS  AND  UNTIL  THE NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE
 COMMISSION ESTABLISHES A LICENSE FOR THE USE OF  AN  AUTONOMOUS  VEHICLE
 PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION  THREE OF THIS SECTION. THE NEW YORK CITY TAXI
 AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION SHALL NOT LICENSE  ANY  AUTONOMOUS  VEHICLE  TO
 PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR HIRE OR PREARRANGED TRIPS UNLESS THAT VEHICLE
 IS  A  TAXICAB  AS  DEFINED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT-A OF THIS
 CHAPTER AND SECTION 19-502 OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF THE CITY OF NEW
 YORK.
   3. BEFORE LICENSING AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AS A TAXICAB, THE  NEW  YORK
 CITY  TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION SHALL ESTABLISH A LICENSE FOR USE OF
 AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AS A TAXICAB AND SHALL PROMULGATE RULES  REGARDING
 SUCH  LICENSE  AND THE OPERATION OF AUTONOMOUS TAXICABS. IN PROMULGATING
 SUCH RULES, THE NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION SHALL, AT  A
 MINIMUM, SET REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FOLLOWING:
   (A)  THE PROCESS FOR ISSUING A LICENSE TO USE AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AS
 A TAXICAB;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD16472-01-4
 S. 9959                             2
 
   (B) THE ISSUANCE OF SUCH LICENSES ONLY TO  OWNERS  OF  TAXICAB  MEDAL-
 LIONS;
   (C)  THE  NUMBER OF SUCH LICENSES TO BE ISSUED AND ANY RESTRICTIONS ON
 THE NUMBER OF LICENSES THAT MAY BE ISSUED TO ANY ONE PERSON OR ENTITY;
   (D) THE SAFETY STANDARDS FOR USE OF AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AS  A  TAXI-
 CAB;
   (E) THE INSURANCE REQUIRED TO USE AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AS A TAXICAB;
   (F)  THE  REPORTING TO THE NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION
 OF TRIP AND REVENUE DATA, INCLUDING THE PICKUP  AND  DROP-OFF  LOCATION,
 MILEAGE, AND FARE FOR EACH TRIP;
   (G)  THE  VEHICLE  STANDARDS  FOR  SUCH AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, INCLUDING
 WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS A WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE  VEHICLE  OR  A  LOW-  OR
 ZERO-EMISSIONS VEHICLE; AND
   (H)  SUCH  OTHER RULES AS THE NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMIS-
 SION CONSIDERS TO BE NECESSARY FOR THE SAFE AND ORDERLY USE OF AN AUTON-
 OMOUS VEHICLE AS A TAXICAB.
   4. THE NEW YORK CITY TAXI  AND  LIMOUSINE  COMMISSION  SHALL  DENY  AN
 APPLICATION  FOR A LICENSE FOR USE OF AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AS A TAXICAB
 IF SUCH VEHICLE OR APPLICANT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE RULES OF  THE  NEW
 YORK  CITY  TAXI  AND  LIMOUSINE COMMISSION AND, AFTER DUE NOTICE AND AN
 OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, MAY SUSPEND OR REVOKE A LICENSE FOR FAILURE  TO
 COMPLY WITH SUCH RULES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S9959

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

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2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Brad Hoylman-Sigal

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Actions

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S9959 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments