NY State Senate Bill 2025-S5355

Senate Bill S5355

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Relates to the issuance of distinctive plates for retired members of the New York state legislature

download bill text pdf

Current 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
Feb 20, 2025	referred to transportation

2025-S5355 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A477
Current Committee:: Senate Transportation
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Add §404-ff, V & T L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S8761, A10796
2019-2020: S3787, S7994, A1322
2021-2022: S4454, A3973
2023-2024: S2836, A176

2025-S5355 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to the issuance of distinctive plates for retired members of the New York state legislature.

2025-S5355 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5355

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the issuance
of specialty plates for retired members of the New York state legisla-
ture

 
PURPOSE:

To allow retired members of the legislature, while residing in the
state, to purchase a distinctive license plate bearing the words
"Retired NYS Legislator."

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one sets the provisions by which a retired member of the New
York State Legislature may purchase a distinctive license plate. In
addition to being a retired member of the Legislature, a member must not
have been found guilty of a felony or misdemeanor, which had a direct
and actual relationship to the performance of such applicant's existing

duties during the time in which he or she was a public officer.

Section two describes the establishment of a distinctive license plate.
Section 3 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Serving in elective office is an honor and a privilege; the ability to
represent the people of the state of New York is significant and humbl-
ing. This bill would honor the service of retired members of the state
Legislature by allowing them to purchase, at their own expense, a
distinctive license plate bearing the words "Retired NYS Legislator"
commemorating their commitment to serve their district and the state.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

01/08/20 REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION; S3787 GRIEFFO

02/26/20 RECOMMIT, ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN

03/06/20 REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

2021/22 - S4454 - REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

23/24- S2836/A176- referred to Transportation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
180 days.

2025-S5355 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5355
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the issuance
   of specialty plates for retired members of the New York state legisla-
   ture

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  vehicle  and  traffic law is amended by adding a new
 section 404-ff to read as follows:
   § 404-FF. DISTINCTIVE PLATES FOR RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK STATE
 LEGISLATURE. 1. ANY RETIRED MEMBER OF THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  LEGISLATURE
 RESIDING  IN  THIS  STATE SHALL, UPON REQUEST, BE ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE
 BEARING THE WORDS "RETIRED NYS LEGISLATOR". APPLICATION FOR SAID LICENSE
 PLATE SHALL BE FILED WITH THE COMMISSIONER IN SUCH FORM  AND  DETAIL  AS
 THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE, AND SHALL BE VERIFIED ANNUALLY BY THE
 APPLICANT.
   2. THE DISTINCTIVE PLATE AUTHORIZED IN THIS SECTION  SHALL  BE  ISSUED
 UPON  PROOF,  SATISFACTORY  TO THE COMMISSIONER, THAT THE APPLICANT IS A
 RETIRED MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE.
   3. A DISTINCTIVE PLATE ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE ISSUED
 IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON PAYMENT  OF  THE  REGULAR
 REGISTRATION FEE PRESCRIBED BY SECTION FOUR HUNDRED ONE OF THIS ARTICLE,
 PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE OF TWENTY-
 FIVE DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR SUCH PLATE.
   § 2. 1. A distinctive plate established pursuant to section 404-ff  of
 the  vehicle and traffic law, as added by section one of this act, shall
 only be designed, produced and issued upon the delivery to  the  depart-
 ment  of  motor  vehicles of a surety bond in the amount of six thousand
 dollars, which shall be executed by a surety company authorized  by  the
 department  of  financial  services  to transact business in this state.
 Provided, however, that if the commissioner of motor vehicles shall have
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01989-01-5

 S. 5355                             2
 
 received prior to plate design, production and  issuance  at  least  two
 hundred  orders  for such distinctive plate together with the additional
 annual service charge applicable to each  such  order,  which  shall  be
 non-refundable,  no  such  surety  bond  shall  be required. All service
 charges collected pursuant to this section shall be  deposited  pursuant
 to  the  provisions  of section 404-oo of the vehicle and traffic law to
 the credit of the department of motor vehicles distinctive plate  devel-
 opment  fund  established  by  section 95-g of the state finance law and
 shall be used for the design, production, advertising  and  distribution
 of distinctive license plates in accordance with such section 95-g.
   2.  If, upon the expiration of two years following the date upon which
 distinctive plates in the  series  are  first  available  for  sale  two
 hundred  or more sets of such plates are sold, a bond delivered pursuant
 to this section shall be discontinued. If fewer than two hundred sets of
 such plates are sold by such time,  the  department  of  motor  vehicles
 shall be entitled to recover against the bond in an amount proportionate
 to such shortfall.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law; provided, however, that section two of this
 act shall take effect immediately. 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.

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