S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3856
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 30, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. WILLIAMS -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to providing
   reimbursement for certain individuals residing in transit deserts
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section 1703 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
 adding four new subdivisions 8-a, 8-b, 8-c and 8-d to read as follows:
   8-A. "TRANSIT DESERT" SHALL MEAN AN AREA LOCATED  IN  A  CITY  WITH  A
 POPULATION OF A MILLION OR MORE THAT LACKS A SUBWAY SYSTEM AND IS HEAVI-
 LY  CAR  DEPENDENT.  SUCH  AREA SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO THE
 FOLLOWING ZIP CODES, SOME PART OF, 10301, 10304,  10306,  10307,  10308,
 10309,  10310,  10312,  11234, 11229, 11236, 11357, 11358, 11360, 11361,
 11379, 11411, 11412, 11413, 11422, 11423, 11427,  11428,  11432,  11433,
 11434, 11581, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694, 11695 AND 11697.
   8-B.  "MEDICAL  TREATMENT"  SHALL  INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE
 FOLLOWING SERVICES, ANESTHESIOLOGY,  BARIATRICS  AND  NUTRITION,  CANCER
 TREATMENT, PEDIATRIC CARE, DENTISTRY, EMERGENCY CARE, ENDOCRINOLOGY, EYE
 CARE, IMMUNOLOGY AND RHEUMATOLOGY, MENTAL HEALTH, NEPHROLOGY, NEUROLOGY,
 OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY, OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE, ORTHOPEDIC CARE, OTOLAR-
 YNGOLOGY,   PALLIATIVE   CARE,  PATHOLOGY,  PLASTIC  AND  RECONSTRUCTIVE
 SURGERY, PRIMARY CARE, PULMONARY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE,  RADIOLOGY,
 REHABILITATION, SURGERY, URGENT CARE, AND UROLOGY.
   8-C.  "RELIGIOUS  LEADER"  SHALL  INCLUDE  ANY MEMBER OF THE CLERGY OR
 LAITY WHO IS ENGAGED IN THE WORK ASSIGNED BY THE CHURCH OR  THE  DENOMI-
 NATION OF WHICH SUCH INDIVIDUAL IS A MEMBER.
   8-D. "RELIGIOUS SERVICES" SHALL INCLUDE RITES AND/OR RITUALS PERFORMED
 BY A RELIGIOUS LEADER.
   §  2.  Section  1704-a  of  the  vehicle and traffic law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07384-01-5
 A. 3856                             2
              

 
   5. (A) THE TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE AND TUNNEL AUTHORITY  SHALL  IMPLEMENT  A
 REIMBURSEMENT  PROGRAM  FOR  ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF ALL CENTRAL BUSINESS
 DISTRICT TOLLS, FEES AND OTHER CHARGES ASSESSED FOR CERTAIN CARS  ENTER-
 ING  SUCH  DISTRICT  FROM  A  TRANSIT  DESERT, AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION
 EIGHT-A  OF  SECTION SEVENTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTICLE.  SUCH CARS
 SHALL INCLUDE THOSE ENTERING TO SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT,  AS  DEFINED  IN
 SUBDIVISION  EIGHT-B OF SECTION SEVENTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTICLE,
 AND THOSE ENTERING TO PROVIDE RELIGIOUS SERVICES AS DEFINED IN  SUBDIVI-
 SION  EIGHT-D  OF  SECTION  SEVENTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTICLE.  TO
 QUALIFY FOR SUCH REIMBURSEMENT, INDIVIDUALS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE
 BOTH PROOF OF RESIDENCY AND  DOCUMENTATION  FROM  EITHER  THEIR  MEDICAL
 TREATMENT  PROVIDER  OR  BY THE CHURCH OR THE DENOMINATION OF WHICH SUCH
 INDIVIDUAL IS A MEMBER.
   (B) SUCH REIMBURSEMENT SHALL OCCUR MONTHLY BY  THE  TRIBOROUGH  BRIDGE
 AND  TUNNEL  AUTHORITY AFTER RECEIPT OF THE DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED UNDER
 PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (C) THE TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE AND TUNNEL AUTHORITY SHALL CREATE A STANDARD
 FORM TO PROVIDE TO MEDICAL TREATMENT PROVIDERS  AND  CHURCHES  OR  OTHER
 DENOMINATIONS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE SUCH REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM.
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth 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 and completed
 on or before such effective date.