NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2666
SPONSOR: Blumencranz TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to unlawful use
of a safety strobe light
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Creates a new section of the vehicle and traffic law, making it unlawful
for an unauthorized person to use a safety strobe light for the purpose
of switching a traffic signal.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Creates a new section of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, Sec. 1115-a,
making it illegal to use a safety strobe light for the purpose of chang-
ing a traffic signal, unless by personnel of an emergency or law
enforcement agency, or personnel authorized by said agencies to use said
lights.
JUSTIFICATION:
At the present time, there is no specific section of the vehicle and
traffic law that prohibits a person from using a safety strobe device to
change a traffic signal in a non-emergency situation. Although improper
use of a safety strobe light can be considered interference, adding this
section of law will clearly define misuse as unlawful and will clarify
the penalty as a non-moving violation for misuse.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.4853 of 2021/22; Referred to Transportation committee,
A.4110 of 2019/20; Referred to Transportation committee,
A.2251 of 2017/18; Referred to Transportation committee,
A.2250 2015/16;
A.8414 of 2014; held in Transportation committee,
A.3163 of 2013; Held in Transportation committee,
A.2076 of 2011/12; Referred to Transportation committee,
A.2427 of 2009/10; Referred to Transportation committee,
A.2631 of 2007/08,
A.6003 of 2005/06,
A9581 of 2003/04.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2666
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 26, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BLUMENCRANZ -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to unlawful use
of a safety strobe light
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
2 section 1115-a to read as follows:
3 § 1115-a. Unlawful use of a safety strobe light. It shall be unlawful
4 for any person to use a safety strobe light for the purpose of switching
5 a traffic signal. This provision shall not apply to emergency
6 agencies/personnel or law enforcement agencies and persons authorized by
7 said agencies to use said lights.
8 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06884-01-3
