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Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 57
2 Co-sponsors
History
- 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.
Expands the definition of "drug", for the purposes of the vehicle and traffic law, to include inhalants and certain glues
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Alan Maisel
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S747
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the definition of "drug"
Purpose
This bill would expand the definition of drug to include glue sniffing, or aerosol inhalation within the grounds for drug-impaired driving.
Summary of provisions
Sections 114-a and 509-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law are amended to expand the definition of the term "drug" to include any hazardous inhalants and glue containing a solvent having the property of releasing toxic vapors and fumes, as defined in § 3380 of the Public Health Law.
Existing law
Current law defines the term drug as used in this section as any substance listed in § 3306 of the Public Health Law, which provides for five schedules of controlled substances.
Justification
Amendment of the present definition of "drug" within the meaning of the offense of driving while ability impaired by drugs is intended to broaden the scope of the offense to include the use of inhalants, which can impair a person's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Current law only proscribes driving while ability impaired by drugs enumerated in drug schedules contained in Public Health Law § 3306, including illegal and prescription drugs. This restricted definition is problematic because driving under the influence of other impairing substances would not violate the drugged driving law provisions even though ability to safely operate a motor vehicle is impeded thereby. Glue sniffing, aerosol inhalation, or the inhalation of any toxic vapor should be included as grounds for drug-impaired driving. The Uniform Vehicle Code of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Law Ordinances includes such a definition of "drug" in its model laws.
Legislative history
2009-2010: S.4673/A.5286 Referred to Transportation 2007-2008: S.391/A.9867 Passed Senate 2006: S.6235 Passed Senate 2003-2004: S.2859/A.774 Passed Senate 2001-2002: S.2513/A.6645 Passed Senate
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect thirty days after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.