Waives the registration fee and service charge for distinctive plates for volunteer firefighters and members of volunteer ambulance services where the applicant has attended twenty-five percent or more of the emergency calls for the previous year.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9803
SPONSOR: Thiele TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to waiving the
registration fee and service charge for distinctive plates for certain
volunteer firefighters and certain members of volunteer ambulance
services
PURPOSE:
This bill waives the registration fees for distinctive license plates
for active volunteer firemen and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 waives the registration fees for distinctive license plates
for active volunteer emergency medical technicians who participate in at
least 25% or more of the emergency calls for the previous year.
Section 2 waives the registration fees for distinctive license plates
for active volunteer firemen who participate in at least 25% or more of
the emergency calls for the previous year.
Section 3 provides that the act shall take effect immediately.
JUSTIFICATION:
Volunteer firemen and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are the back-
bone of emergency services throughout rural New York State, and provide
incredibly valuable volunteer service to their communities on a 24/7
basis. These volunteers undergo many hours of training in order to
provide this life-saving volunteer service. Unfortunately, it is
increasingly difficult to recruit and retain these volunteers.
In an effort to recruit and retain more volunteer firemen and EMTs, many
local governments offer a property tax reduction to active volunteer
firemen and EMTs. While this incentive is helpful for those who own
their own home, it does nothing to help younger volunteers who might not
own their own home. This legislation would provide a tangible benefit to
active volunteers who own or lease their own vehicles by allowing them
to register a vehicle with distinctive license plates without paying the
typical registration fee. In addition to providing a modest financial
benefit, the increase in the number of distinctive license plates will
enhance recruitment and retention efforts by increasing awareness of
these volunteers and providing them with well-deserved recognition.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: New Legislation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9803
IN ASSEMBLY
April 9, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, GOODELL, CLARK, CONRAD, DARLING, EACHUS,
JACOBSON, LEVENBERG, OTIS, RAMOS, RIVERA, SHIMSKY, WOERNER, McDONALD,
JONES, E. BROWN, FRIEND, ZEBROWSKI, BEEPHAN, GALLAHAN, MANKTELOW,
SIMPSON, ANGELINO, GRAY, MORINELLO, NORRIS, TAGUE, LEMONDES,
J. M. GIGLIO, BLANKENBUSH, HAWLEY, DiPIETRO, MAHER -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to waiving the
registration fee and service charge for distinctive plates for certain
volunteer firefighters and certain members of volunteer ambulance
services
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 404-b of the vehicle and traffic
2 law, as amended by chapter 277 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read
3 as follows:
4 3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued
5 in the same manner as other number plates [upon payment of the regular].
6 The registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this
7 [chapter] article and [an] the initial one time service charge of
8 fifteen dollars shall be waived for one set of plates for each such
9 applicant upon proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the appli-
10 cant has attended twenty-five percent or more of the emergency calls for
11 the previous year.
12 § 2. Subdivision 3 of section 404-f of the vehicle and traffic law, as
13 amended by chapter 277 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as
14 follows:
15 3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued
16 in the same manner as other number plates [upon payment of the regular].
17 The registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this
18 [chapter] article and [an] the additional annual service charge of
19 fifteen dollars shall be waived for one set of plates for each such
20 applicant upon proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the appli-
21 cant has attended twenty-five percent or more of the emergency calls for
22 the previous year.
23 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13041-02-3
