NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2344
SPONSOR: Hawley TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law and the vehicle and traffic
law, in relation to the exemption of disabled veterans from tolls
collected by the New York state thruway authority
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill will exempt disabled New York state veterans from paying tolls
when using the New York state thruway.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 361 of the public
authorities law, as amended by chapter 621 of the laws of 1998, is
amended as follows:
(a) In addition to the powers conferred by the vehicle and traffic law,
the authority is hereby authorized to promulgate such rules and regu-
lations for the use and occupancy of the thruway as may be necessary and
proper for the public safety and convenience, for the preservation of
its property and for the collection of tolls and provided further that
the authority, in consultation with the departments of environmental
conservation and transportation, is hereby authorized to promulgate
rules and regulations necessary to implement a heavy-duty vehicle road-
side inspection program pursuant to section 190320 of the environmental
conservation law. Such rules and regulations shall authorize the
exemption from the collection of such tolls upon any New York state
resident who is a veteran and is certified by the United States veter-
ans' administration or the department of defense as entitled to receive
disability payments upon the certification of such administration or
department for a disability incurred by him or her in time of war.
JUSTIFICATION:
After serving our country with honor and courage the disabled veterans
of New York state, who have given so much to their communities, deserve
respect and admiration. By allowing disabled veterans to use the New
York state thruway without paying tolls, our state can show our grati-
tude for all they have done.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A5537 - 04/25/22 held for consideration in transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Unknown.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law except that any rule or regulation necessary for
the timely implementation of this act on its effective date shall be
promulgated on or before such date
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2344
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 16, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HAWLEY -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law and the vehicle and traffic
law, in relation to the exemption of disabled veterans from tolls
collected by the New York state thruway authority
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 361 of the public
2 authorities law, as amended by chapter 621 of the laws of 1998, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 (a) In addition to the powers conferred by the vehicle and traffic
5 law, the authority is hereby authorized to promulgate such rules and
6 regulations for the use and occupancy of the thruway as may be necessary
7 and proper for the public safety and convenience, for the preservation
8 of its property and for the collection of tolls and provided further
9 that the authority, in consultation with the departments of environ-
10 mental conservation and transportation, is hereby authorized to promul-
11 gate rules and regulations necessary to implement a heavy duty vehicle
12 roadside inspection program pursuant to section 19-0320 of the environ-
13 mental conservation law. Such rules and regulations shall authorize the
14 exemption from the collection of such tolls upon any New York state
15 resident who is a veteran and is certified by the United States veter-
16 ans' administration or the department of defense as entitled to receive
17 disability payments upon the certification of such administration or
18 department for a disability incurred by such veteran in time of war.
19 § 2. Subdivision 4 of section 1630 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
20 amended by section 2 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59 of the laws
21 of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
22 4. Charging of tolls, taxes, fees, licenses or permits for the use of
23 the highway or any of its parts or entry into or remaining within the
24 central business district established by article forty-four-C of this
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01808-01-5
A. 2344 2
1 [chapter] title, where the imposition thereof is authorized by law. No
2 such toll shall be imposed by the New York state thruway authority upon
3 any New York state resident who is a veteran and is certified by the
4 United States veterans' administration or the department of defense as
5 entitled to receive disability payments upon the certification of such
6 administration or department for a disability incurred by such veteran
7 in time of war.
8 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
9 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately the addition, amend-
10 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
11 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
12 completed on or before such effective date.
