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Senate Bill S301

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Provides a religious exemption for the requirement to have a photograph taken for a driver's license or learner's permit

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

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2025-S301 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Transportation
Law Section:
Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §507, V & T L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: S4094
2021-2022: S5365
2023-2024: S1162

2025-S301 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides a religious exemption for the requirement to have a photograph taken for a driver's license or learner's permit.

2025-S301 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S301 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    301
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. OBERACKER, BORRELLO -- read twice and ordered print-
   ed,  and  when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transporta-
   tion
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to providing  a
   religious exemption for the requirement to have a photograph taken for
   a driver's license or learner's permit
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 507 of the vehicle and traffic law  is  amended  by
 adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
   6.  PHOTOGRAPH  RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION. A PERSON SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO
 HAVE THEIR PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN FOR A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR  LEARNER'S  PERMIT
 WHEN  SUCH  PERSON HOLDS GENUINE AND SINCERE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS WHICH ARE
 CONTRARY TO HAVING A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT  LICENSES
 ISSUED  WITHOUT  A  PHOTOGRAPH PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL NOT BE
 USED FOR PROOF OF AGE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY TO AN ESTABLISHMENT OR PURCHASE
 OF AGE-RESTRICTED PRODUCTS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01116-01-5

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