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History
- Print number 6496b
- Amend (t) and recommit to cities
- Print number 6496a
- Amend (t) and recommit to cities
- Referred to cities
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.
Authorizes the city of New York to establish speed limits throughout the city at not less than twenty-five miles per hour and at not less than twenty miles per hour on certain designated highways
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Daniel O'Donnell
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S6496B
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to speed limits
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would protect pedestrians by reducing the speed limit in New York City.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill amends the NYC Administrative Code by changing the speed limit in New York City from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour (bill section 3). The bill also amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL) to permit the reduction of the NYC speed limit. Specifically, the bill amends VTL section 1643 to permit the NYC speed limit to be not less than 25 miles per hour, and on designated highways under certain circumstances, not less than 20 miles per hour. The bill also amends VTL section 1642(a)(26) by deleting reporting requirements relating to traffic calming measures.
The B-print seeks to accomplish the same goal - pedestrian safety - as the A-print, but it does so in a different manner, and the bill has been substantially rewritten. It now amends section 1643 of the VTL as well as section 1642; it amends VTL section 1642 in a different manner than the A-print did; and it amends NYC Administrative Code section 19-177 in a different manner than the A-print did. The B- print also changes the effective date.
Justification
In New York City in 2013, nearly as many people died in traffic accidents as were murdered. The speed at which a motorist is driving correlates strongly with the likelihood that an accident with a pedestrian will be fatal.
Early numbers from this year demonstrated the critical need for this legislation. When this bill was first introduced in mid-January 2014, there had been seven pedestrian fatalities in NYC from traffic accidents involving motor vehicles over the course of just 14 days. On one day alone, on Manhattan's Upper West Side, there were two such fatalities - one child and one senior citizen, both crossing streets in crosswalks. This bill, by reducing the speed limit on city streets, will protect all of New York City's pedestrians.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.