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Senate Bill S3240

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Relates to drivers of school buses using hands-free mobile telephones

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

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2025-S3240 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Rules
Law Section:
Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §1225-c, V & T L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:
S9559

2025-S3240 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits drivers of school buses that are carrying students from using hands-free mobile telephones and provides for certain exceptions.

2025-S3240 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S3240 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3240
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 24, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. COONEY, GALLIVAN -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to  drivers  of
   school  buses that are carrying students using hands-free mobile tele-
   phones

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Subdivision 2 of section 1225-c of the vehicle and traffic
 law is amended by adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
   (E) NO DRIVER OF A SCHOOL  BUS  AS  DEFINED  IN  SECTION  ONE  HUNDRED
 FORTY-TWO  OF THIS CHAPTER SHALL USE A HANDS-FREE MOBILE TELEPHONE WHILE
 OPERATING A SCHOOL BUS THAT IS CARRYING STUDENTS EXCEPT IN THE  CASE  OF
 AN  EMERGENCY  PURSUANT  TO  PARAGRAPH  (A) OF SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS
 SECTION OR IF THE SCHOOL BUS IS PARKED, FOR PURPOSES OTHER THAN DROPPING
 OFF OR PICKING UP STUDENTS, AT THE SIDE OF, OR OFF, A PUBLIC HIGHWAY  IN
 A  LOCATION WHERE SUCH VEHICLE IS NOT OTHERWISE PROHIBITED FROM STOPPING
 BY LAW, RULE, REGULATION OR ANY LAWFUL ORDER OR DIRECTION  OF  A  POLICE
 OFFICER.
   §  2.  Subdivision 3 of section 1225-c of the vehicle and traffic law,
 as added by chapter 69 of the laws  of  2001,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   3. Subdivision two of this section shall not apply to (a) the use of a
 mobile  telephone  for the sole purpose of communicating with any of the
 following regarding an emergency situation: an emergency response opera-
 tor; a hospital, physician's  office  or  health  clinic;  an  ambulance
 company  or  corps;  a fire department, district or company; or a police
 department, (b) any of the following persons while in the performance of
 their official duties: a police officer or peace officer; a member of  a
 fire  department,  district or company; or the operator of an authorized
 emergency vehicle as defined in section one hundred one of this chapter,
 or (c) the use of a hands-free mobile telephone, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF A
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00791-01-5

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