S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6160
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 6, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. SKOUFIS, BORRELLO, GRIFFO, HELMING, MAY, OBERACKER,
   O'MARA, STEC, TEDISCO, WEBB -- 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 exempting
   farmers from commercial driver's license requirements while  operating
   a covered farm vehicle
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 8 of section 501-a of the vehicle  and  traffic
 law,  as added by section 3 of part E of chapter 58 of the laws of 2016,
 is amended to read as follows:
   8. Covered farm vehicle. (a) A  vehicle  or  combination  of  vehicles
 registered  in  this  state,  which  (i) displays a covered farm vehicle
 designation issued by the commissioner, (ii) is operated by the owner or
 operator of a farm or ranch, or an employee or family member of an owner
 or operator of a farm or ranch, (iii) is used to transport  agricultural
 commodities,  livestock,  machinery  or  supplies  to  or from a farm or
 ranch, (iv) is not used in for-hire motor carrier operations,  exclusive
 of  operation  by a tenant pursuant to a crop share farm lease agreement
 to transport the landlord's portion of the crops under  that  agreement;
 and (v) is not used for the transportation of hazardous materials.
   (b)  A covered farm vehicle with a gross vehicle weight or gross vehi-
 cle weight rating, whichever is greater, of more than  twenty-six  thou-
 sand  pounds  may only be operated within one hundred fifty air miles of
 the farm or ranch.
   (c) [The commissioner shall, by regulation, designate  an  endorsement
 or  endorsements for the operation of covered farm vehicles with a gross
 vehicle weight or gross vehicle weight rating of  more  than  twenty-six
 thousand  pounds.  Such endorsement or endorsements shall be required to
 operate such a covered farm vehicle or combination of covered farm vehi-
 cles. The identification and scope of such endorsement  or  endorsements

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04804-01-5
              

 S. 6160                             2

 shall,  at  a  minimum, include a distinction between the operation of a
 covered farm vehicle having a gross  vehicle  weight  or  gross  vehicle
 weight  rating of more than twenty-six thousand pounds and the operation
 of  a combination of covered farm vehicles having a gross vehicle weight
 or gross vehicle weight rating of more than twenty-six thousand pounds.
   (d)] For the purposes of this subdivision, the gross vehicle weight of
 a vehicle shall mean the actual weight of the vehicle and the load.
   § 2. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 2 of section 501 of the vehicle  and
 traffic  law  is  amended  by adding a new subparagraph (iii) to read as
 follows:
   (III) NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION,  A
 MOTOR VEHICLE OR COMBINATION OF VEHICLES THAT IS A COVERED FARM VEHICLE,
 AS  DEFINED  BY  SUBDIVISION EIGHT OF SECTION FIVE HUNDRED ONE-A OF THIS
 ARTICLE, THAT IS OPERATED BY A FARMER PURSUANT TO  SECTION  383.3(D)  OF
 TITLE  49  OF  THE  CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS WITHIN ONE HUNDRED FIFTY
 MILES OF SUCH FARMER'S FARM, MAY BE  OPERATED  WITH  ANY  CLASS  LICENSE
 OTHER THAN A CLASS DJ, M OR MJ LICENSE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.