Establishes a central business district toll exemption for first responders employed by the state, any municipality, a recognized corporation or authority, or certified organization, thereof who are performing any part of their duties in the central business district.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A1599
SPONSOR: Pheffer Amato
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
a central business district toll exemption for first responders
 
PURPOSE:
To provide an exemption for first responders employed by the State or
any municipality that is conducting official business in a central busi-
ness district from the central business district toll.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill would add a new subdivision 2-a to § 1704-a of the
Vehicle and Traffic Law to provide an exemption from the central busi-
ness district toll for any first responder.
Section 1 of the bill would add a new subdivision 2-b to § 1704-a of the
Vehicle and Traffic Law to clarify that for the purpose of this subdivi-
sion first responders who are employees of the State, any municipality,
a recognized corporation or authority, or a certified organization
performing any part of their duties in such central business district
shall be exempt. For the purposes of this bill, "first responders" shall
means police department or fire department, an emergency medical techni-
cian, correction officer, dispatcher or other uniformed officer.
Section 2 provides that the bill shall take effect immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The Central Business District Tolling Zone extends from 60th Street in
Manhattan, to all of the roadways south of 60th Street, with exceptions.
Under the toll zone program, passenger vehicles entering or remaining in
the Central Business District would be charged a toll. The purpose of
this bill is to clarify that in the event any first responder, which is
defined for the purpose of this bill to include but not be limited to a
member of a police department or fire department, an emergency medical
technician, correction officer, dispatcher or other uniformed officer
who is an employee of the State, any municipality, a recognized corpo-
ration or authority, or a certified organization, must drive into the
Central Business District to perform their duty, they will not be
charged the toll. This shall apply to any first responder who works for
the State or any municipality within New York State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill would take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1599
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
a central business district toll exemption for first responders
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1704-a of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision 2-a to read as follows:
3 2-a. (a) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, no first
4 responder shall be charged a central business district toll if such
5 first responder is employed by the state, any municipality, a recognized
6 corporation or authority, or certified organization, thereof and is
7 performing any part of their duties in such central business district.
8 (b) For the purposes of this subdivision, "first responder" shall
9 include but not be limited to a member of a police department or fire
10 department, an emergency medical technician, correction officer,
11 dispatcher, or other uniformed officer.
12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04219-01-5