S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6198
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               April 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to increasing
   penalties for defaced or obstructed license plates
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 402 of the vehi-
 cle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 451 of the laws of  2021,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   (b)  (i) Number plates shall be kept clean and in a condition so as to
 be easily readable and shall not be covered  by  glass  or  any  plastic
 material.
   (ii) Number plates shall not be knowingly DEFACED OR covered or coated
 with  any artificial or synthetic material or substance that conceals or
 obscures such number plates or that distorts a recorded or  photographic
 image of such number plates.
   (iii)  The  view  of such number plates shall not be obstructed by any
 part of the vehicle or by anything carried thereon, except for a receiv-
 er-transmitter issued by a publicly owned tolling facility in connection
 with  electronic  toll  collection  when  such  receiver-transmitter  is
 affixed  to  the  exterior  of  a  vehicle  in  accordance with mounting
 instructions provided by the tolling facility.
   § 2. Subdivision 8 of section 402 of the vehicle and traffic  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  451  of  the  laws  of 2021, is amended to read as
 follows:
   8. A violation of this section shall be punishable by a  fine  of  not
 less  than  twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars, except that a
 violation of subparagraph (ii) or subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (b) of
 subdivision one of this section shall [be punishable by a  fine  of  not
 less than fifty nor more than three hundred dollars] RESULT IN A SUSPEN-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09834-03-3
 A. 6198                             2
              

 
 SION OF THE REGISTRATION OF SUCH VEHICLE FOR ONE YEAR PURSUANT TO SUBDI-
 VISION FOUR-H OF SECTION FIVE HUNDRED TEN OF THIS CHAPTER.
   § 3. Section 510 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 4-h to read as follows:
   4-H. SUSPENSION OF REGISTRATION FOR DEFACED OR OBSCURED NUMBER PLATES.
 UPON  THE  RECEIPT  OF  A NOTIFICATION FROM A COURT OR AN ADMINISTRATIVE
 TRIBUNAL THAT AN OWNER OF A MOTOR VEHICLE HAS VIOLATED SUBPARAGRAPH (II)
 OR (III) OF PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION FOUR HUNDRED TWO
 OF THIS CHAPTER, THE COMMISSIONER OR HIS OR HER AGENT SHALL SUSPEND  THE
 REGISTRATION  OF  THE  VEHICLE INVOLVED IN THE VIOLATION FOR A PERIOD OF
 ONE YEAR. EACH SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION SHALL RESULT IN  AN  ADDITIONAL  ONE
 YEAR  SUSPENSION. DURING ANY PERIOD OF SUSPENSION UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION
 THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE VEHICLE  SHALL  BE  PROHIBITED  FROM  TRANS-
 FERRING  OWNERSHIP OF SUCH VEHICLE TO ANY OTHER PERSON AND SHALL ALSO BE
 PROHIBITED FROM REGISTERING ANY OTHER VEHICLE.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.