Exempts vehicles owned by civil service employees, college students and commercial and residential repair businesses from tolls charged under the central business district tolling program.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8024
SPONSOR: Solages
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to toll
exemptions for certain vehicles under the central business district
tolling program
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this legislation is to create exemptions for certain
vehicles under the central business district tolling program.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one. Amends subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1704-a of the vehi-
cle and 2 traffic law, as added by section 1 of subpart A of part ZZZ of
chapter 3 59 of the laws of 2019.
Section two. Sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The rollout of the congestion pricing plan implemented in the 2019 budg-
et has experienced significant delay. The plan was originally passed in
hopes of reducing congestion in Manhattan and raising revenue to
strengthen and modernize the MTA infrastructure. However, in the years
since congestion pricing was passed, the economic situation in New York
has changed.
The level of fees charged to drivers entering Manhattan is no longer
conscionable given the influx of federal funds to New York. The Infras-
tructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Biden in November
will bring New York State nearly thirty billion dollars to improve
roads, bridges, airports, and public transit.
 
RACIAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
TBD.
 
GENDER JUSTICE IMPACT:
TBD.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8024
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
September 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to toll
exemptions for certain vehicles under the central business district
tolling program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1704-a of the vehicle and
2 traffic law, as added by section 1 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter
3 59 of the laws of 2019, are amended to read as follows:
4 1. Consistent with the goals of reducing traffic congestion within the
5 central business district and funding capital projects the Triborough
6 bridge and tunnel authority shall have the power, subject to agreements
7 with its bondholders, and applicable federal law to establish and charge
8 variable tolls and fees for vehicles entering or remaining in the
9 central business district at any time and shall have the power, subject
10 to agreements with bondholders, and applicable federal law to make rules
11 and regulations for the establishment and collection of central business
12 district tolls, fees, and other charges. For purposes of establishing a
13 central business district toll or tolls the board shall, at minimum,
14 ensure annual revenues and fees collected under such program, less costs
15 of operation of the same, provide for sufficient revenues into the
16 central business district tolling capital lockbox fund, established
17 pursuant to section five hundred fifty-three-j of the public authorities
18 law necessary to fund fifteen billion dollars for capital projects for
19 the 2020 to 2024 MTA capital program, and any additional revenues above
20 that amount to be available for any successor programs. Additionally, no
21 toll may be established and charged on passenger vehicles registered
22 pursuant to subdivision six of section four hundred one of this chapter
23 more than once per day for purposes of entering the central business
24 district. Additionally, no toll may be established and charged on vehi-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13021-02-3
A. 8024 2
1 cles registered pursuant to subdivision six of section four hundred one
2 of this chapter which are primarily used for purposes of commercial or
3 residential repair services more than once per day for purposes of
4 entering the central business district.
5 2. No qualifying authorized emergency vehicle as defined pursuant to
6 section one hundred one of this chapter, or [a] qualifying vehicle
7 transporting a person with disabilities, or vehicle registered under
8 subdivision six of section four hundred one of this chapter by a civil
9 service employee; or vehicle registered under subdivision six of section
10 four hundred one of this chapter by a person enrolled in an institution
11 of higher education located within the central business district shall
12 be charged a central business district toll if it enters or remains in
13 the central business district. Application for such toll exemption shall
14 be made in such manner as prescribed by the Triborough bridge and tunnel
15 authority and shall contain such information as the authority may
16 reasonably require.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
18 have become a law.