Relates to enacting the "Traffic Ticket Relief Act"; authorizes hearing officers to lower parking and speeding fees based on a case by case basis, to permit the payment of fines and fees in installments.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A7070A
SPONSOR: Burke
 
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to enacting the "traffic ticket relief act"
 
PURPOSE:
To allow hearing examiners and officers to reduce accrued parking and
traffic ticket fees on a case by case basis, as well as permit fines and
associated fees to be paid in installments rather than all at once.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 establishes the short title of the "traffic ticket relief
act."
Section 2 amends section 241 of the vehicle and traffic law by adding a
new subdivision 4, which lays out that the hearing examiner may reduce
the amount of an accrued parking ticket fee and allow for fines and
associated fees to be paid in installments.
Section 3 amends section 227 of the vehicle and traffic law by adding a
new subdivision 7, which lays out that the hearing officer may reduce
the amount of an accrued traffic ticket fee and allow for fines and
associated fees to be paid in installments.
Section 4 sets the effective date as the 60th day after it becomes law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
It is important that traffic and parking laws are enforced for the safe-
ty of our communities. However, even minor traffic and parking
violations can be financially devastating for many New Yorkers who
cannot afford to pay the fines. The purpose of issuing traffic and park-
ing tickets should be to discourage unsafe driving and parking, not to
ruin lives.
This bill allows hearing officers and examiners to use their discretion
and lower accrued fees on parking and traffic ticket fines on a case by
case basis. It also allows all New Yorkers to pay parking and traffic
ticket fines and fees in installments, which is not only helpful for
those paying the tickets but also for the municipalities trying to
collect all fines and fees.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the 60th day after the act becomes law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7070--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 4, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BURKE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to enacting the
"traffic ticket relief act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "traffic ticket relief act".
3 § 2. Section 241 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a
4 new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
5 4. For any fine imposed on a person by a hearing examiner pursuant to
6 this section, the hearing examiner may reduce the amount of any fees
7 accrued on a case by case basis. The hearing examiner may request any
8 documentation he or she believes necessary to make such a determination.
9 The hearing examiner shall also authorize any person fined to pay such
10 fines and associated fees in installments to be determined by the muni-
11 cipality.
12 § 3. Section 227 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a
13 new subdivision 7 to read as follows:
14 7. For any fine imposed on a person by a hearing officer pursuant to
15 this section, the hearing officer may reduce the amount of any fees
16 accrued on a case by case basis. The hearing officer may request any
17 documentation he or she believes necessary to make such a determination.
18 The hearing officer shall also authorize any person fined to pay such
19 fines and associated fees in installments to be determined by the muni-
20 cipality.
21 § 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
22 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10545-05-9