Relates to the liability of vehicle owners for toll collection violations

BILL NUMBER:S6953

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to liability of vehicle owners for toll collection violations

Purpose

To permit public authorities to directly petition the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to suspend or deny the vehicle registration of persistent toll evaders, and to enable the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to enter into reciprocal agreements with other states to suspend or deny the vehicle registration of persistent toll evaders.

Summary of provisions

Section 1. Amends subdivision 4-d of section 510 of the vehicle and traffic law to permit public authorities to directly petition the Commissioner of motor vehicles to suspend the vehicle registration when the owner fails to respond to five or more notices of liability for offenses of toll evasion.

Sections 2, 2-a, 2-b, 2-c and 2-d. Amends subparagraph (i) of paragraph a of subdivision 5a of section 401 of the vehicle and traffic law to require that the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles deny the application for or renewal of a vehicle registration when the owner has five or more outstanding toll violations.

Section 3. Adds a new section 518 to the vehicle and traffic law to allow the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to enter into reciprocal agreements with other states for the suspension or denial of a vehicle registration for persistent toll evaders.

Section 4. Effective date.

Existing law

Under current law, only a court or administrative tribunal may order the suspension of a vehicle registration.

Justification

Current law provides that upon notification from a court or administrative tribunal that a vehicle owner has accumulated 5 or more toll collection violations within an eighteen month period, the DMV shall suspend that person's vehicle registration. Because only courts and administrative tribunals are authorized to transmit this information to DMV, and these enti- ties only track violations within their own geographic jurisdictions, the only time a multiple violator is reported to DMV is when a violator has accumulated five or more violations within one jurisdiction. This process leaves a gap in tracking violators who often travel between multiple jurisdictions and does not effectively serve as a deterrent to those who would abuse the system at the expense of others. This bill would enhance toll enforcement by subjecting individuals with five toll collection violations within an eighteen month period to a mandatory vehicle registration suspension and by allowing the Commissioner of Motor

Vehicles to enter into reciprocal agreements with other states to crack down on persistent toll evaders.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.