NY State Senate Bill 2021-S4363

Senate Bill S4363

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Directs the New York thruway authority to develop and implement a toll discount program waiving additional costs for tolls related to travel on the New York state thruway for certain individuals

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to transportation
Feb 03, 2021	referred to transportation

co-Sponsors

2021-S4363 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5378
Current Committee:: Senate Transportation
Law Section:: Public Authorities Law
Laws Affected:: Add §378-b, Pub Auth L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S1643, A2836

2021-S4363 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the New York thruway authority to develop and implement a toll discount program waiving additional costs for tolls related to travel on the New York state thruway for certain individuals who do not maintain an E-Z Pass account.

2021-S4363 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S4363

SPONSOR: TEDISCO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to directing the
New York state thruway authority to develop and implement a toll
discount program waiving additional costs for tolls related to travel on
the New York state thruway for certain individuals who do not maintain
an E-ZPass account

 
PURPOSE:

This Legislation Directs the New York thruway authority to develop and
implement a toll discount program waiving additional costs for tolls
related to travel on the New York state thruway for certain individuals.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

§ 1: Establishes the title of this bill as the "thruway toll equality
act".

§ 2: The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 378-b
to read as follows:

§ 378-b. E-ZPass discount program. 1. Notwithstanding any law, rule or
regulation to the contrary, the authority shall establish and implement
a discount. plan waiving any costs, including fees, penalties and
surcharges, beyond the amount of actual tolls incurred during travel on
the New York state thruway system for qualified residents who do not
have an E-ZPass account or transponder and who receive a toll bill by
mail. Qualified residents shall pay an amount for tolls not greater than
the amount paid by individuals who maintain an E-ZPass account, in good
standing, linked to a bank account or credit card.

2. As used in this section, a "qualified resident" means an individual
who:

(a) is a full-time resident of the state;

(b) receives benefits pursuant to the supplemental nutrition assistance
program (SNAP) or the special supplemental nutrition program for women,
infants and children (WIC) or who receives vouchers pursuant to Section
8 of the Housing Act of 1937;

(c) owns or rents a vehicle utilized for travel on the state thruway
system; and

(d) does not maintain an E-ZPass account or have an E-ZPass transponder.

3. (a) The authority shall not generate a bill or other demand for
payment for tolls incurred by qualified residents until the earlier of
(i) the toll amount due reaches a threshold of thirty dollars, or

(ii) a period of one year.

(b) If a bill for tolls is not paid within one hundred twenty days, fees
and charges may be assessed as determined by the authority.

4. (a) The provisions of this section shall apply only to persons who do
not otherwise qualify for an E-ZPass discount program.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any E-ZPass charg-
es incurred for any travel originating in or terminating in any other
state.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Since implementation of the New York State Thruway's cashless toll
system, New Yorkers of modest means who do not have available credit or
a bank account with sufficient funds to maintain an E-ZPass account are
now punished with higher fees.

The "Thruway Toll Equality Act," will waive any toll increase, fee or
surcharge for low-income New York State motorists, based on the Federal
Poverty Level guidelines.

Additionally, those who qualify will only be billed for a minimum of
$30.00 in usage, or annually for less frequent travelers to minimize
administrative costs.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before
such date.

2021-S4363 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4363
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 3, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. TEDISCO, BORRELLO -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to directing the
   New  York  state  thruway  authority  to  develop and implement a toll
   discount program waiving additional costs for tolls related to  travel
   on the New York state thruway for certain individuals who do not main-
   tain an E-ZPass account
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited  as  the  "thruway
 toll equality act".
   §  2.  The  public  authorities law is amended by adding a new section
 378-b to read as follows:
   § 378-B. E-ZPASS DISCOUNT PROGRAM. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR
 REGULATION TO THE CONTRARY, THE AUTHORITY SHALL ESTABLISH AND  IMPLEMENT
 A  DISCOUNT  PLAN  WAIVING  ANY  COSTS,  INCLUDING  FEES,  PENALTIES AND
 SURCHARGES, BEYOND THE AMOUNT OF ACTUAL TOLLS INCURRED DURING TRAVEL  ON
 THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  THRUWAY SYSTEM FOR QUALIFIED RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT
 HAVE AN E-ZPASS ACCOUNT OR TRANSPONDER AND WHO RECEIVE A  TOLL  BILL  BY
 MAIL.    QUALIFIED  RESIDENTS  SHALL PAY AN AMOUNT FOR TOLLS NOT GREATER
 THAN THE AMOUNT PAID BY INDIVIDUALS WHO MAINTAIN AN E-ZPASS ACCOUNT,  IN
 GOOD STANDING, LINKED TO A BANK ACCOUNT OR CREDIT CARD.
   2. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, A "QUALIFIED RESIDENT" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL
 WHO:
   (A) IS A FULL-TIME RESIDENT OF THE STATE;
   (B)  RECEIVES  BENEFITS PURSUANT TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSIST-
 ANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) OR THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL  NUTRITION  PROGRAM  FOR
 WOMEN,  INFANTS  AND CHILDREN (WIC) OR WHO RECEIVES VOUCHERS PURSUANT TO
 SECTION 8 OF THE HOUSING ACT OF 1937;
   (C) OWNS OR RENTS A VEHICLE UTILIZED FOR TRAVEL ON THE  STATE  THRUWAY
 SYSTEM; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD08591-01-1

 S. 4363                             2
 
   (D)  DOES NOT MAINTAIN AN E-ZPASS ACCOUNT OR HAVE AN E-ZPASS TRANSPON-
 DER.
   3.  (A)  THE  AUTHORITY  SHALL NOT GENERATE A BILL OR OTHER DEMAND FOR
 PAYMENT FOR TOLLS INCURRED BY QUALIFIED RESIDENTS UNTIL THE  EARLIER  OF
 (I) THE TOLL AMOUNT DUE REACHES A THRESHOLD OF THIRTY DOLLARS, OR (II) A
 PERIOD OF ONE YEAR.
   (B)  IF  A  BILL FOR TOLLS IS NOT PAID WITHIN ONE HUNDRED TWENTY DAYS,
 FEES AND CHARGES MAY BE ASSESSED AS DETERMINED BY THE AUTHORITY.
   4. (A) THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY ONLY TO PERSONS  WHO
 DO NOT OTHERWISE QUALIFY FOR AN E-ZPASS DISCOUNT PROGRAM.
   (B)  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY E-ZPASS
 CHARGES INCURRED FOR ANY TRAVEL ORIGINATING IN  OR  TERMINATING  IN  ANY
 OTHER STATE.
   §  3.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.    Effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment
 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before
 such date.

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Senate Bill S4363

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Sponsored By

James Tedisco