BILL NUMBER:  S641

 TITLE OF BILL :
An act to authorize the city of Newburgh to establish an
administrative tribunal for the adjudication of parking infractions


 PURPOSE :
Authorizes the city of Newburgh to establish an administrative
tribunal to handle all parking tickets.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :
This bill amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law by adding a new section
to allow the City of Newburgh to establish an administrative tribunal
for the adjudication of parking infractions.  It also authorizes the
City of Newburgh to provide for the appointment, through local law, of
hearing examiners for such administrative adjudications from a list of
eligible candidates in accordance with the provisions of Article 2-B
of the Vehicle & Traffic Law. This bill is based on Chapter 627 of the
Laws of 2005 which authorized the City of Utica to establish such an
administrative tribunal.

 EXISTING LAW :
Currently, Newburgh is not authorized to establish an administrative
tribunal to handle parking tickets.

              

 JUSTIFICATION :
Parking tickets in Newburgh are currently handled by the City Court
which requires numerous hours of court time and use of court
personnel. These tickets are rarely adjudicated because of the more
serious criminal cases and infractions pending in the Newburgh City
Court. Further, since these tickets are not adjudicated, the City of
Newburgh losses significant revenue each year. This bill would help
the City to adjudicate over 60,000 outstanding tickets and collect
tines that are totaling over $3 million.

The City of Newburgh has requested this bill to reduce City Court case
backlogs, increase traffic infraction penalty collections, to
establish a more efficient way to manage the parking ticket system,
and to establish a system whereby motorists would abide by the parking
laws established by the City.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :
S.8311 of 2006

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None to the State.

 LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
The City of Newburgh anticipates to increase its collection of parking
ticket revenues.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediate.