NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7953

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation 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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 14, 2025	referred to transportation

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Transportation
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§1174-a & 1180-e, V & T L; amd §370, Gen Muni L

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to school bus stop-arm cameras; makes technical amendments thereto.

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7953

SPONSOR: COONEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to school bus
stop-arm cameras; and to amend the general municipal law, in relation to
the establishment of traffic violations bureaus

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This legislation is intended clarify the adjudication process of
violations issued pursuant to New York's stop-arm school bus and work
zone speed camera programs

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends subdivision h of section 1174A of the Vehicle and Traf-
fic Law, to clarify adjudication processes for violations issued for the
school bus stop-arm camera program

Section 2 amends subdivision h of section 1180e of the Vehicle and Traf-

fic Law, to clarify adjudication processes for violations issued for the
work zone speed camera program

Section 3 amends subdivision 1 of section 370 of the general municipal
law

Section 4 pertains to DMV notification to local courts on each munici-
pality's obligations under this law.

Section 5 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York in 2019 established the ability for localities to utilize a
camera system to catch drivers illegally passing school buses while
discharging passengers. In 2021, New York established a similar program
to utilize a camera system to catch drivers illegally speeding in work
zones. However, confusion still exists over which local courts adjudi-
cate these violations, leading to some violations not being calendered
by local courts to be heard. This bill will clarify what process local
courts must utilize in these situations, timelines that must be
followed, and rules of the court to be followed.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, provided that amendments made to
the various existing sections of law not affect the repeal of such
section as prescribed by current law.

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7953
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COONEY -- 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  school  bus
   stop-arm  cameras; and to amend the general municipal law, in relation
   to the establishment of traffic violations bureaus

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  Subdivision (h) of section 1174-a of the vehicle and traf-
 fic law, as added by chapter 145 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read
 as follows:
   (h) [Adjudication of the liability imposed upon owners by this section
 shall  be by a traffic violations bureau established pursuant to section
 three hundred seventy of the general municipal law where  the  violation
 occurred  or,  if  there  be none, by the court having jurisdiction over
 traffic infractions where the violation occurred, except that if a  city
 has  established  an  administrative  tribunal  to  hear  and  determine
 complaints of traffic  infractions  constituting  parking,  standing  or
 stopping  violations such city may, by local law, authorize such adjudi-
 cation by such tribunal.] NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER  PROVISION  OF  LAW,
 ADJUDICATION  OF  THE  LIABILITY IMPOSED UPON OWNERS BY THIS SECTION WHO
 HAVE SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO CONTEST LIABILITY SHALL BE BY  THE  ADMINIS-
 TRATIVE  TRIBUNAL  DESIGNATED BY THE COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE WHICH
 HAS ESTABLISHED THE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
   (I) WITHIN THIRTY-SEVEN DAYS OF RECEIPT OF A TIMELY REQUEST TO CONTEST
 LIABILITY, THE COUNTY, CITY, TOWN, OR VILLAGE IMPOSING  LIABILITY  SHALL
 PROVIDE  A  COPY  OF  THE NOTICE OF LIABILITY AND THE REQUEST TO CONTEST
 LIABILITY, INCLUDING THE MANNER FOR CONTESTING LIABILITY SELECTED BY THE
 OWNER TO THE APPLICABLE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL WHICH  SHALL  THEREAFTER
 HAVE  JURISDICTION  OVER  THE  MATTER.    IF  AN  IN-PERSON  HEARING  IS
 REQUESTED, THE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL SHALL SET A DATE FOR  SUCH  HEAR-
 ING, AND, IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION, MAY PROVIDE OPTIONS FOR THE HEARING TO
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13028-02-5

 S. 7953                             2
 
 BE  HELD VIA ONLINE VIDEO CONFERENCE. THE ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL OR ITS
 DESIGNEE, WHICH MAY BE ANY OTHER ENTITY AUTHORIZED BY SUCH COUNTY, CITY,
 TOWN OR VILLAGE, SHALL MAIL A NOTICE OF  HEARING  TO  THE  OWNER,  WHICH
 SHALL  INCLUDE  THE  DATE AND TIME OF THE HEARING. A MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC
 RECORD OF MAILING PREPARED IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS  SHALL  BE
 PRIMA  FACIE  EVIDENCE  OF  THE  FACTS  CONTAINED THEREIN. IN LIEU OF AN
 IN-PERSON OR HEARING BY  ONLINE  VIDEO  CONFERENCE,  THE  ADMINISTRATIVE
 TRIBUNAL  MAY,  IN  ITS DISCRETION, PROVIDE THE OWNER AN OPTION TO CHAL-
 LENGE LIABILITY THROUGH SUBMISSION OF A WRITTEN EXPLANATION.
   (II) IN ALL MANNERS IN WHICH THE OWNER CHALLENGES THE  LIABILITY,  DUE
 PROCESS  SHALL  GOVERN THE PROCEEDINGS EXCEPT THAT THE RULES OF EVIDENCE
 SHALL NOT APPLY.  THE DECISION OF THE HEARING  OFFICER  SHALL  BE  BASED
 UPON A PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE. DURING THE HEARING, OR IN PREPARA-
 TION  THEREOF,  THE HEARING OFFICER SHALL ACCESS AND REVIEW PHOTOGRAPHS,
 MICROPHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEOTAPES, OTHER RECORDED IMAGES AND DATA PRODUCED BY
 SCHOOL BUS PHOTO VIOLATION MONITORING SYSTEMS  IN  THE  CUSTODY  OF  THE
 COUNTY,  CITY,  TOWN  OR VILLAGE IN WHICH THE VIOLATION OCCURRED, OR ANY
 OTHER ENTITY AUTHORIZED BY SUCH COUNTY, CITY,  TOWN  OR  VILLAGE.    THE
 HEARING  OFFICER  SHALL  ALSO  REVIEW DOCUMENTATION WHICH MAY REFUTE THE
 LIABILITY SUBMITTED BY THE OWNER CONTESTING THE LIABILITY.
   (III) WITHIN FOURTEEN BUSINESS DAYS  AFTER  THE  HEARING  OFFICER  HAS
 RENDERED  A DECISION, A NOTICE OF DECISION SHALL BE PREPARED AND SENT BY
 FIRST CLASS MAIL TO THE OWNER BY  THE  ADMINISTRATIVE  TRIBUNAL  OR  ITS
 DESIGNEE.  A MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC RECORD OF MAILING PREPARED IN THE ORDI-
 NARY COURSE OF BUSINESS SHALL BE  PRIMA  FACIE  EVIDENCE  OF  THE  FACTS
 CONTAINED  THEREIN.  IF  THE OWNER IS DEEMED LIABLE, SUCH OWNER SHALL BE
 NOTIFIED OF THE CIVIL PENALTY IMPOSED PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION  (E)  OF
 THIS  SECTION AND METHODS OF PAYMENT.  FAILURE TO PAY WITHIN THIRTY DAYS
 OF THE POSTED DATE OF THE NOTICE SHALL BE DEEMED  A  DEFAULT  AND  SHALL
 SUBJECT  THE  OWNER TO ADDITIONAL PENALTIES AND ACTIONS AS PRESCRIBED IN
 SUBDIVISIONS (D) AND (E) OF THIS SECTION.
   § 2. Subdivision (h) of section 1180-e of the vehicle and traffic law,
 as added by chapter 421 of the laws of  2021,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   (h)  Adjudication of the liability imposed upon owners of this section
 shall be by a traffic violations bureau established pursuant to  section
 three  hundred  seventy of the general municipal law where the violation
 occurred or, if there be none, by the  court  having  jurisdiction  over
 traffic  infractions where the violation occurred, except that if a city
 has  established  an  administrative  tribunal  to  hear  and  determine
 complaints  of  traffic  infractions  constituting  parking, standing or
 stopping violations such city may, by local law, authorize such  adjudi-
 cation  by  such  tribunal.  FOR COURTS HAVING JURISDICTION OVER TRAFFIC
 INFRACTIONS WHERE  THE  VIOLATION  OCCURRED  THAT  ADJUDICATE  LIABILITY
 IMPOSED  UPON  OWNERS  BY  THIS  SECTION,  A NOTICE OF LIABILITY VALIDLY
 IMPOSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (G)  OF  THIS  SECTION  SHALL  BE
 VALID  FOR  PURPOSES  OF SUCH COURT ADJUDICATING SUCH LIABILITY AS IF IT
 WAS A UNIFORM TRAFFIC TICKET OR SIMPLIFIED TRAFFIC INFORMATION, AND SUCH
 COURT SHALL ADJUDICATE SUCH LIABILITY IN A MANNER NOT INCONSISTENT  WITH
 SECTIONS  TWO  HUNDRED  FORTY AND TWO HUNDRED FORTY-ONE OF THIS CHAPTER,
 PROVIDED THAT SUBSEQUENT JUDICIAL REVIEW MAY BE SOUGHT PURSUANT TO ARTI-
 CLE SEVENTY-EIGHT OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND  RULES.  NOTWITHSTANDING
 ANY  INCONSISTENT  PROVISION  OF  LAW,  SUCH  COURTS MAY ADJUDICATE SUCH
 LIABILITY REMOTELY.
   § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 370 of the  general  municipal  law,  as
 added by chapter 496 of the laws of 1990, is amended to read as follows:
 S. 7953                             3
 
   1.  The  legislative body of a city, village or town, may by ordinance
 or local law authorize the court having jurisdiction of traffic cases to
 establish a traffic violations bureau to assist the court in the  dispo-
 sition  of  infractions  in  relation to traffic violations.   PROVIDED,
 ADDITIONALLY,  THAT  ANY LEGISLATIVE BODY THAT HAS ESTABLISHED OR ESTAB-
 LISHES A TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS BUREAU PURSUANT TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION  SHALL
 NOTIFY THE STATE COMPTROLLER WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
 A  CHAPTER  OF  THE  LAWS  OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE THAT AMENDED THIS
 SUBDIVISION OF THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH BUREAU, AND  THAT  ANY  LEGISLATIVE
 BODY THAT ELIMINATES OR REPEALS A TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS BUREAU SHALL NOTIFY
 THE STATE COMPTROLLER OF SUCH ELIMINATION OR REPEAL.
   §  4.  Within  180 days of the effective date of this act, the commis-
 sioner of motor vehicles, in consultation with the chief  administrative
 judge, shall provide each court and traffic violations bureau within the
 state,  to the extent such information is available, with a notification
 advising such court or bureau  of  their  municipality's  obligation  to
 notify the office of the state comptroller of the existence or continued
 operation  of  a traffic violations bureau, and if such bureau no longer
 ceases to operate, pursuant to section 370 of the general municipal law.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately, provided that:
   (a) the amendments to subdivision (h) of section 1174-a of the vehicle
 and traffic law made by section one of this act  shall  not  affect  the
 repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith; and
   (b) the amendments to subdivision (h) of section 1180-e of the vehicle
 and  traffic  law  made  by section two of this act shall not affect the
 repeal of such subdivision and shall be deemed repealed therewith.

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Senate Bill S7953

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S7953

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Sponsored By

Jeremy Cooney

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7953 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments