NY State Senate Bill 2025-S8184

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes 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

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 19, 2025	referred to codes

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8854
Current Committee:: Senate Codes
Law Section:: Penal Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §120.05, Pen L; add §§118-a, 118-b & 118-c, V & T L

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Adds assault of a highway worker, motor vehicle investigator and motor vehicle inspector to the crime of assault in the second degree; defines such terms.

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8184

SPONSOR: COONEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the penal law, in relation to assault in the second
degree

 
PURPOSE:

Increases penalties for assaulting motor vehicle license examiners,
motor vehicle representatives, highway workers, motor carrier investi-
gators, and motor carrier inspectors.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends subdivision 11 of 120.05 of the Penal Law to increase
penalties for assaulting a motor vehicle license examiner, motor vehicle
representative, highway worker, motor carrier investigator, or motor
vehicle inspector.

Section 2 adds sections 118-a, 118-b, and 118-c to the Vehicle and Traf-

fic Law to define highway workers, motor carrier investigators, and
motor vehicle inspectors.

Section 3 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Between April 2023, and August 2024, a total of 218 reported incidents
met the legal definition of workplace violence at the Department of
Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices and testing sites statewide. These inci-
dents were not limited to verbal threats but frequently escalated to
physical confrontations, harassment, and assaults.

In addition, highway workers face an increased risk of assault from
members of the public while performing their duties. Whether they're
directing vehicles, repairing roads, or clearing debris, these workers
are often exposed to aggressive drivers and hostile encounters.

The State Legislature has already increased penalties for assaulting
comparable transportation workers, including:

(1) Station Customer Assistants (2024), who, like Motor Vehicle Repre-
sentatives, assist the public in navigating transportation-related
services.

(2) Transit Maintenance Personnel (2024), who, like highway workers,
maintain our state's critical transportation infrastructure.

(3) School crossing guards (2014) and Traffic Enforcement Agents (2008),
who, like flaggers who direct traffic in work zones, play a critical
role in managing traffic flow and ensuring pedestrian and worker safety.

Increasing penalties for assaulting these workers will deter future
violence and help ensure employees can go to work without fear of being
assaulted or killed.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become law.

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8184
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 19, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation  to  assault  in  the  second
   degree
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivision 11 of section  120.05  of  the  penal  law,  as
 amended  by  section  2  of part Z of chapter 55 of the laws of 2024, is
 amended to read as follows:
   11. With intent to cause physical injury to a train  operator,  ticket
 inspector, conductor, signalperson, bus operator, station agent, station
 cleaner,  terminal cleaner, station customer assistant, traffic checker;
 person whose official duties include the sale or collection of  tickets,
 passes,  vouchers,  or  other  revenue payment media for use on a train,
 bus, or ferry the collection or handling of revenues therefrom; a person
 whose official duties include  the  CONSTRUCTION,  maintenance,  repair,
 inspection,  troubleshooting, testing or cleaning of buses or ferries, a
 transit signal system, elevated or underground  subway  tracks,  transit
 station  OR  TRANSPORTATION structure, including fare equipment, escala-
 tors, elevators and other  equipment  necessary  to  passenger  service,
 commuter rail tracks or stations, train yard, revenue train in passenger
 service,  a ferry station, or a train or bus station or terminal, OR ANY
 ROADWAYS,  WALKWAYS,  TUNNELS,  BRIDGES,  TOLLING  FACILITIES  OR  THEIR
 SUPPORTING  SYSTEMS,  BUILDING  OR  STRUCTURES;  or a supervisor of such
 personnel, employed by any transit or commuter rail agency, authority or
 company, public or private, whose operation is authorized OR ESTABLISHED
 by New York state or any of its political subdivisions, a city  marshal,
 a  school  crossing  guard  appointed  pursuant  to  section two hundred
 eight-a of the general municipal law,  a  traffic  enforcement  officer,
 traffic enforcement agent, MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE EXAMINER, MOTOR VEHICLE
 REPRESENTATIVE,  HIGHWAY  WORKER AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED EIGH-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13177-01-5

 S. 8184                             2
 
 TEEN-A OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW,  MOTOR  CARRIER  INVESTIGATOR  AS
 DEFINED  IN  SECTION  ONE  HUNDRED EIGHTEEN-B OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC
 LAW, MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTOR AS DEFINED IN  SECTION  ONE  HUNDRED  EIGH-
 TEEN-C OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW, prosecutor as defined in subdivi-
 sion  thirty-one  of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law, sanita-
 tion enforcement agent, New York city sanitation worker,  public  health
 sanitarian,  New  York  city public health sanitarian, registered nurse,
 licensed practical nurse, emergency medical service paramedic, or  emer-
 gency  medical  service technician, [he or she] SUCH PERSON causes phys-
 ical injury to such train operator, ticket inspector, conductor, signal-
 person, bus operator, station agent, station cleaner, terminal  cleaner,
 station  customer  assistant,  traffic  checker;  person  whose official
 duties include the sale or collection of tickets,  passes,  vouchers  or
 other  revenue  payment  media  for use on a train, bus, or ferry or the
 collection or handling of revenues therefrom; a  person  whose  official
 duties  include the CONSTRUCTION, maintenance, repair, inspection, trou-
 bleshooting, testing or cleaning of buses or ferries, a  transit  signal
 system, elevated or underground subway tracks, transit station OR TRANS-
 PORTATION structure, including fare equipment, escalators, elevators and
 other  equipment necessary to passenger service, commuter rail tracks or
 stations, train yard,  revenue  train  in  passenger  service,  a  ferry
 station,  or  a train or bus station or terminal, OR ANY ROADWAYS, WALK-
 WAYS, TUNNELS, BRIDGES, TOLLING FACILITIES OR THEIR SUPPORTING  SYSTEMS,
 BUILDINGS  OR  STRUCTURES;  or  a  supervisor  of  such  personnel, city
 marshal, school crossing guard appointed pursuant to section two hundred
 eight-a of the general municipal law, traffic enforcement officer, traf-
 fic enforcement agent, MOTOR VEHICLE  LICENSE  EXAMINER,  MOTOR  VEHICLE
 REPRESENTATIVE,  HIGHWAY  WORKER AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED EIGH-
 TEEN-A OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW,  MOTOR  CARRIER  INVESTIGATOR  AS
 DEFINED  IN  SECTION  ONE  HUNDRED EIGHTEEN-B OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC
 LAW, MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTOR AS DEFINED IN  SECTION  ONE  HUNDRED  EIGH-
 TEEN-C OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW, prosecutor as defined in subdivi-
 sion  thirty-one  of  section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law, regis-
 tered nurse, licensed practical nurse,  public  health  sanitarian,  New
 York  city  public  health sanitarian, sanitation enforcement agent, New
 York city sanitation worker, emergency  medical  service  paramedic,  or
 emergency  medical service technician, while such employee is performing
 [an assigned duty on, or directly related to,]  A  LAWFUL  ACT  RELATED,
 DIRECTLY  OR  INDIRECTLY, TO AN EMPLOYMENT RESPONSIBILITY, INCLUDING BUT
 NOT LIMITED TO the operation of a train or bus, cleaning of a  train  or
 bus station or terminal, assisting customers, checking traffic, the sale
 or  collection  of tickets, passes, vouchers, or other revenue media for
 use on a train, bus, or ferry or maintenance or cleaning of a  train,  a
 bus,  a  ferry,  or  bus station or terminal, signal system, elevated or
 underground subway tracks, transit station OR TRANSPORTATION  structure,
 including  fare  equipment,  escalators,  elevators  and other equipment
 necessary to passenger service, commuter rail tracks or stations,  train
 yard  or  revenue  train  in passenger service, a ferry station, or such
 city marshal, school crossing guard, traffic enforcement officer,  traf-
 fic  enforcement  agent,  MOTOR  VEHICLE LICENSE EXAMINER, MOTOR VEHICLE
 REPRESENTATIVE, HIGHWAY WORKER AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE  HUNDRED  EIGH-
 TEEN-A  OF  THE  VEHICLE  AND TRAFFIC LAW, MOTOR CARRIER INVESTIGATOR AS
 DEFINED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN-B OF  THE  VEHICLE  AND  TRAFFIC
 LAW,  MOTOR  VEHICLE  INSPECTOR  AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED EIGH-
 TEEN-C OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW, prosecutor as defined in subdivi-
 sion thirty-one of section 1.20 of the criminal  procedure  law,  regis-
 S. 8184                             3
 
 tered  nurse,  licensed  practical  nurse, public health sanitarian, New
 York city public health sanitarian, sanitation  enforcement  agent,  New
 York  city  sanitation  worker,  emergency medical service paramedic, or
 emergency medical service technician is performing an assigned duty; or
   §  2.  The  vehicle  and  traffic  law  is amended by adding three new
 sections 118-a, 118-b and 118-c to read as follows:
   § 118-A. HIGHWAY WORKER. ANY PERSON EMPLOYED BY OR ON  BEHALF  OF  THE
 STATE, A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN, VILLAGE, A PUBLIC AUTHORITY, LOCAL AUTHORI-
 TY,  PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY, OR AN AGENT OR CONTRACTOR OF ANY SUCH ENTI-
 TY, OR A FLAGPERSON AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN-B OF  THIS
 ARTICLE,  WHO  HAS  BEEN  ASSIGNED  TO PERFORM WORK ON A HIGHWAY, PUBLIC
 HIGHWAY, ROADWAY, ACCESS HIGHWAY, OR QUALIFYING HIGHWAY, OR  WITHIN  THE
 HIGHWAY  RIGHT  OF  WAY. SUCH WORK MAY INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED
 TO, CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION,  MAINTENANCE,  IMPROVEMENT,  FLAGGING,
 UTILITY  INSTALLATION,  OR  THE  OPERATION OF EQUIPMENT. FOR PURPOSES OF
 THIS SECTION, THE TERM "HIGHWAY RIGHT OF  WAY"  SHALL  MEAN  THE  ENTIRE
 WIDTH  BETWEEN  THE  BOUNDARY  LINE  OF  ALL  PROPERTY  WHICH  HAS  BEEN
 PURCHASED, APPROPRIATED, OR DESIGNATED BY THE STATE, A MUNICIPAL ENTITY,
 OR A PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION FOR HIGHWAY PURPOSES, ALL PROPERTY  OVER
 WHICH  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  TRANSPORTATION,  ANY  MUNICIPAL ENTITY, OR
 PUBLIC  BENEFIT  CORPORATION  HAS  ASSUMED  JURISDICTION   FOR   HIGHWAY
 PURPOSES,  AND  ALL  PROPERTY  THAT  HAS BECOME PART OF A HIGHWAY SYSTEM
 THROUGH DEDICATION OR USE, INCLUDING ANY PROPERTY DEEMED  NECESSARY  FOR
 THE  MAINTENANCE,  CONSTRUCTION,  RECONSTRUCTION,  OR IMPROVEMENT OF ANY
 HIGHWAY.  SUCH  WORK  MAY  INCLUDE,  BUT  SHALL  NOT   BE   LIMITED   TO
 CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, IMPROVEMENT, FLAGGING, UTILI-
 TY INSTALLATION, OR THE OPERATION OF EQUIPMENT.
   §  118-B.  MOTOR  CARRIER  INVESTIGATOR.  ANY  PERSON  EMPLOYED BY THE
 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WHO HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO  PERFORM  INVESTI-
 GATIONS OF ANY MOTOR CARRIERS REGULATED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPOR-
 TATION.
   §  118-C.  MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTOR. ANY PERSON EMPLOYED BY THE DEPART-
 MENT OF TRANSPORTATION WHO HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO PERFORM  INSPECTIONS  OF
 ANY MOTOR VEHICLES REGULATED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION.
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Senate Bill S8184

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes Committee

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S8184

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Jeremy Cooney

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Codes Committee

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8184 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments