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Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 43
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Substituted by A3363
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.547
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Requires access aisles of handicapped accessible parking spaces to be at least eight feet wide
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Charles Lavine
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S3170
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to providing that access aisles of handicapped accessible parking spaces have to be at least eight feet wide
Purpose
To ensure that access aisles of handicapped parking spaces are wide enough for people with disabilities to enter and exit their vehicles.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill amends paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section 1203-c of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 350 of the laws of 1993 by adding that parking spaces that are designated for handicapped parking shall be eight feet wide and that this law also extends to, not only off street parking, but parking garages as well.
Justification
Access aisles that lie adjacent to handicapped accessible parking spaces are there for the purpose of allowing disabled persons, many times wheelchair users, to get into and out of their vehicles. Often times, these vehicles have ramps or lifts that extend quite a ways out the side door of the vehicle.
Eight feet is just enough space to allow wheelchair users to open the side door of their vehicles, extend the lift or ramp, and still have enough room to get off of the lift platform or ramp and turn. Any less amount of space than eight feet in width might not allow wheelchair users to maneuver between their vehicle and the vehicle parked next to theirs.
This bill is intended to reaffirm and place in state statute the current size requirements of access aisles listed under the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. It is important to protect the eight-foot width obligation in state law because building code requirements change periodically, and current Americans with Disabilities Act requirements call for a majority of access aisles to be only five feet wide.
Prior legislative history
A.9693 (2000) - Referred to Transportation A.4625 (2001-02) - Passed Assembly A.5476 (2003-04) - Passed Assembly A.7337 (2005-06) - Passed Assembly A.7111 (2007-08) - Passed Assembly A.7849 (2009-10) - Passed Assembly
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.