Relates to the registration of certain farm vehicles

6 Co-sponsors

• Tony Avella
• John J. Bonacic
• Patrick M. Gallivan
• Michael H. Ranzenhofer
• James L. Seward
• David J. Valesky

BILL NUMBER:S2399

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to certain registrations of vehicles

Purpose

To eliminate the additional attachment that is currently required of farm plated vehicle registration. This attachment must be kept with the vehicle registration at all times and creates onerous burdens on the industry.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law

Section 401 Subdivision 13 to remove the additional vehicle registration requirement of attaching farm vehicle certification to the farm vehicle registration and having to make such documentation available at all times.

Section 2 provides the effective date.

Justification

This bill reduces the unnecessary and cumbersome paperwork associated with farm plated vehicles and helps alleviate the regulatory burden facing the agricultural community. Farm plates provide New York producers with the opportunity to obtain a reduced rate for vehicle and plate registration for vehicles used exclusively in agricultural production. Currently, farm plated vehicles are restricted to travel within a 25-mile radius of the farm for their business needs such as traversing between fields, delivery to/from a land-fill and necessary repair and maintenance of the farm vehicle at a repair shop.

While the 25-mile travel restriction is based on, and specific to, the farm address listed on the farm vehicle's registration, the farmer must file additional paperwork specifically addressing all points of destination for that specific registered farm vehicle. This information must then be kept on file with the vehicle registration as an attachment. Each time the farmer acquires additional land or finds it necessary to travel to an alternate destination in order to conduct business, he/she must file another document with the Department of Motor Vehicles which expends time and staff resources on behalf of the farmer and the State.

With state law already strictly designating use of farm plated vehicles to within 25 miles of the farm that the vehicle is registered to, the additional documentation and maintenance of such paperwork with the State is duplicative and unnecessary. The repeal of this requirement would allow our farm community to focus their valuable time planting and harvesting crops throughout vital months of the year instead of devoting their efforts towards unnecessary filing requirements.

Legislative history

2011-2012: S.5262 Passed Senate / A.8351 Referred to Transportation 2013-2014: S.1951 Passed Senate / A.169 Referred to Transportation

Fiscal impact

None to the state.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.