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Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 4
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring any person operating an aircraft to submit to a breathalyzer
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would require all pilots flying into or out of New York airports to submit to a breathalyzer exam.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1. Adds a new section to the general business law requiring breathalyzer exams for pilots.
Section 2. Effective date.
Justification
In April 2016, a commercial airline pilot was arraigned in federal court for exceeding the legal blood alcohol limit for pilots. On the date in question, the pilot was selected for a random breathalyzer exam after flying a plane with over 100 passengers and crew from Orlando to New York. The pilot vastly exceeded the legal limit and was allowed to fly because no mechanism is in place to catch these pilots before they fly. This measure will improve safety and restore public confidence in our pilots.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) currently forbids pilots to operate an aircraft with a blood alcohol content of .04% or greater, or operating an aircraft within 8 hours of consuming alcohol. Currently, the FAA allows companies to implement random breathalyzer exams, as well as scheduled exams or exams under suspicion. Since 1995, 225 commercial airline pilots have tested above the legal blood-alcohol limit, according to the FAA.
To ensure the safety of our skies, as well as the numerous passengers and crew aboard aircraft, this legislation will require all incoming and outgoing plane pilots using New York airports to take a breathalyzer exam before boarding the aircraft.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.