NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8954
SPONSOR: Pheffer Amato
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the suspen-
sion of tolls on public roads during a state declaration of disaster
emergency
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this legislation is to exempt toll payments in times of
emergency evacuations
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds new subdivision 8-a to the public authorities law,
exempting the payment of tolls during state declared emergency evacu-
ations resulting from man-made or natural disasters.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, certain evacuation
protocols may be enacted to prevent harm. For those who must evacuate
their homes and travel through tolls, it is unfair to expect payment for
those tolls over something that is out of their control. This legis-
lation will ensure our constituents are not punished financially during
these evacuations.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8954
IN ASSEMBLY
January 30, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the suspen-
sion of tolls on public roads during a state declaration of disaster
emergency
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 361 of the public
2 authorities law, as amended by chapter 621 of the laws of 1998, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 (a) In addition to the powers conferred by the vehicle and traffic
5 law, the authority is hereby authorized to promulgate such rules and
6 regulations for the use and occupancy of the thruway as may be necessary
7 and proper for the public safety and convenience, for the preservation
8 of its property and for the collection of tolls and provided further
9 that the authority, in consultation with the departments of environ-
10 mental conservation and transportation, is hereby authorized to promul-
11 gate rules and regulations necessary to implement a heavy duty vehicle
12 roadside inspection program pursuant to section 19-0320 of the environ-
13 mental conservation law. Such rules and regulations shall authorize and
14 require the suspension of the collection of such tolls upon any person
15 using and occupying public roads on which tolls are collected during a
16 state declared emergency evacuation declared as a result of a natural or
17 a man-made disaster, and subject to a required evacuation for such
18 disaster, during a state declaration of disaster emergency pursuant to
19 section twenty-eight of the executive law.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
21 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
22 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
23 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
24 completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13385-04-4