Amd §1111-a, V & T L; amd §19-210, NYC Ad Cd; amd §17, Chap 746 of 1988; amd §2, NYC, LL 46 of 1989
Increases the number of traffic-control signal photo violation-monitoring devices that may be installed in New York city to one thousand three hundred twenty-five intersections; extends certain provisions authorizing photo-monitoring devices until December 1, 2030.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5259
SPONSOR: Dinowitz TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative code
of the city of New York, in relation to increasing the number of inter-
sections where traffic-control signal photo violation-monitoring systems
may be installed and operated; to amend chapter 746 of the laws of 1988,
amending the vehicle and traffic law, the general municipal law and the
public officers law relating to the civil liability of vehicle owners
for traffic control signal violations, in relation to extending the
effectiveness thereof; and to amend local law number 46 of the city of
New York for the year 1989, amending the administrative code of the city
of New York relating to civil liability of vehicle owners for traffic
control signal violations, in relation to extending the effectiveness
thereof
PURPOSE:
To renew and expand New York City's red light camera program
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill amends subdivision (a) of § 1111a of the vehicle
and traffic law to expand the number of authorized intersections for New
York City red light cameras from 150 to 1,325.
Section two of the bill amends paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of
§ 19-210 of the administrative code of the city of New York to make
conforming changes.
Section three of the bill amends section 17 of chapter 746 of the laws
of 1988 to extend the underlying legislation from December 1, 2024 to
December 1, 2030.
Section four of the bill amends section 2 of local law number 46 of the
city of New York to extend the underlying legislation from December 1,
2024 to December 1, 2030.
Section five of the bill provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York City's first-in-the-nation red light camera program, launched
in 1994, has been extended by the state legislature eight times, most
recently in the FY20 Enacted Budget (Section 10 of Part TT of Chapter 58
of 2019). Despite the overwhelming margins of support by which this
program is regularly extended, it has yet to expand in scope and remains
active at only 150 intersections across the City of New York.. This
leaves the vast majority of New York City intersections, which number
13,250, without any guarantee that drivers are complying with red light
camera signals beyond piecemeal stops by police officers.
The intersections which do enjoy automated camera enforcement have seen
a 580 decline in the number of severe injuries from collisions compared
to three years prior to the camera's installation, according to a 2021
report from the NYC Department of Transportation, as drivers become
aware of the cameras and learn to obey them or risk a $50 fine. Further-
more, a 2020 Siena College Research Institute Poll found that 85% of NYC
voters, including 84% who own cars, were supportive of the program and
willing to expand its reach.
This bill would increase the NYC red light camera program more than
eightfold, to expand the number of authorized intersections from 150 to
1,325. This commonsense reform would allow the cameras to be placed at
10% of city intersections, helping to arrest a worsening trend of traf-
fic violence in what is the deadliest year for street safety since the
launch of then-Mayor Bill de Blasio's Vision Zero initiative in 2013.
Expanding these lifesaving intersection cameras will greatly enhance
safety for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians while reducing the
number of unnecessary stops by individual police officers. It will
provide some peace of mind to low-income families across the City who
live disproportionately near wide, speedway-like arterials that generate
a high number of traffic infractions and receive no red light camera
protection at all. The expansion of NYC's red light camera program will
help to ensure a safer and more equitable streetscape for all road users
by reducing fatalities and injuries in all corners.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2022: S8328 - Referred to Transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided that sections one and
two of this act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
have come law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5259
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 7, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative code
of the city of New York, in relation to increasing the number of
intersections where traffic-control signal photo violation-monitoring
systems may be installed and operated; to amend chapter 746 of the
laws of 1988, amending the vehicle and traffic law, the general munic-
ipal law and the public officers law relating to the civil liability
of vehicle owners for traffic control signal violations, in relation
to extending the effectiveness thereof; and to amend local law number
46 of the city of New York for the year 1989, amending the administra-
tive code of the city of New York relating to civil liability of vehi-
cle owners for traffic control signal violations, in relation to
extending the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 1111-a of the
2 vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 18 of the laws of 2009,
3 is amended to read as follows:
4 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each city with a popu-
5 lation of one million or more is hereby authorized and empowered to
6 adopt and amend a local law or ordinance establishing a demonstration
7 program imposing monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for fail-
8 ure of an operator thereof to comply with traffic-control indications in
9 such city in accordance with the provisions of this section. Such demon-
10 stration program shall empower a city to install and operate traffic-
11 control signal photo violation-monitoring devices at no more than one
12 thousand three hundred [fifty] twenty-five intersections within such
13 city at any one time.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06936-02-3
A. 5259 2
1 § 2. Paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 19-210 of the adminis-
2 trative code of the city of New York, as amended by chapter 18 of the
3 laws of 2009, is amended to read as follows:
4 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the parking violations
5 bureau is hereby authorized and empowered to establish a demonstration
6 program imposing monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for fail-
7 ure of an operator thereof to comply with traffic-control indications in
8 accordance with the provisions of this section. The department of trans-
9 portation, for purposes of implementation of such program, shall be
10 authorized to install and operate traffic-control signal photo viola-
11 tion-monitoring devices at no more than one thousand three hundred
12 [fifty] twenty-five intersections at any one time.
13 § 3. Section 17 of chapter 746 of the laws of 1988, amending the vehi-
14 cle and traffic law, the general municipal law, and the public officers
15 law relating to the civil liability of vehicle owners for traffic
16 control signal violations, as amended by section 5 of part TT of chapter
17 58 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
18 § 17. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
19 have become a law and shall remain in full force and effect until Decem-
20 ber 1, [2024] 2030 when upon such date the amendments and provisions
21 made by this act shall be deemed repealed; provided, however, any such
22 local laws as may be enacted pursuant to this act shall remain in full
23 force and effect only until the expiration on December 1, [2024] 2030.
24 § 4. Section 2 of local law number 46 of the city of New York for the
25 year 1989 amending the administrative code of the city of New York
26 relating to civil liability of vehicle owners for traffic control signal
27 violations, as amended by section 6 of part TT of chapter 58 of the laws
28 of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
29 § 2. This local law shall take effect immediately and shall expire on
30 December 1, [2024] 2030.
31 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that sections
32 one and two of this act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it
33 shall have become a law; provided further however, that the amendments
34 to section 1111-a of the vehicle and traffic law made by section one of
35 this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed
36 to be repealed therewith; and provided, further, that the amendments to
37 section 19-210 of the administrative code of the city of New York made
38 by section two of this act shall not affect the expiration of such
39 section and shall be deemed to expire therewith. Effective immediately,
40 any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on
41 its effective date shall be promulgated on or before such effective
42 date.
