S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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7886--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
April 11, 2025
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Introduced by M. of A. KAY -- read once and referred to the Committee on
Transportation -- recommitted to the Committee on Transportation in
accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing
certain persons to use an ATV to enter and exit certain lands for ice
fishing
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 2403 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
adding a new subdivision 2-a to read as follows:
2-A. PUBLIC LANDS PERMITTING ICE FISHING. (A) DURING TIMES WHEN ICE
CONDITIONS ARE REASONABLY SAFE FOR THE OPERATION OF ATVS, AS DETERMINED
BY GUIDELINES PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION,
AND ONLY ON LANDS WHERE SNOWMOBILE USE IS PERMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, INCLUDING WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS, STATE
FORESTS, FOREST PRESERVES, AND STATE PARKS, A PERSON MAY OPERATE AN ATV
TO ENTER AND EXIT SUCH LANDS WHEN SUCH PERSON IS SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE
OR OLDER OR SUCH PERSON IS SEVERELY DISABLED. SUCH PERSONS MAY UTILIZE
AN ATV AS THE OPERATOR OR PASSENGER AND SHALL RESTRICT SUCH USAGE TO
TRAVELING TO AND FROM ICE FISHING LOCATIONS.
(B) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "SEVERELY DISABLED" SHALL
MEAN ANY PERSON HAVING ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING IMPAIRMENTS,
DISABILITIES OR CONDITIONS WHICH ARE PERMANENT IN NATURE AND HAVE BEEN
CERTIFIED BY A PHYSICIAN:
(I) LIMITED OR NO USE OF ONE OR BOTH LOWER LIMBS;
(II) NEURO-MUSCULAR DYSFUNCTION WHICH SEVERELY LIMITS MOBILITY;
(III) A PHYSICAL OR MENTAL IMPAIRMENT OR CONDITION OTHER THAN THOSE
SPECIFIED IN SUBPARAGRAPHS (I) AND (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, BUT WHICH IS
OF SUCH NATURE AS TO IMPOSE UNUSUAL HARDSHIP IN ACCESSING ICE FISHING
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11283-05-6
A. 7886--A 2
LOCATIONS AND SUCH IMPAIRMENT OR CONDITION IS CERTIFIED BY A PHYSICIAN,
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT OR NURSE PRACTITIONER, TO THE EXTENT AUTHORIZED BY
LAW AND CONSISTENT WITH SUBDIVISION THREE OF SECTION SIX THOUSAND NINE
HUNDRED TWO OF THE EDUCATION LAW, DULY LICENSED TO PRACTICE IN THIS
STATE, OR A PODIATRIST DULY LICENSED TO PRACTICE PODIATRY IN THIS STATE
OR AN OPTOMETRIST DULY LICENSED TO PRACTICE OPTOMETRY IN THIS STATE, AS
CONSTITUTING AN EQUAL DEGREE OF DISABILITY (SPECIFYING THE PARTICULAR
CONDITION) SO AS TO PREVENT SUCH PERSON FROM GETTING AROUND WITHOUT
GREAT DIFFICULTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION;
(IV) BLINDNESS.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.