What's happening
This bill tightens restrictions on tinted windows in vehicles and funds law enforcement to purchase tint meters for enforcement.
Why it matters
Expands tint restrictions to all rear side windows, regardless of vehicle type. By removing specific references to types like sedans or coupes, the bill closes loopholes and ensures that all vehicles must meet the same visibility standards for rear side windows, which could affect car owners with previously legal darker tints.
Sets a clear, uniform limit of 70% light transmittance for nearly all vehicle windows. This makes the law easier to understand and enforce, and may lead to more vehicles needing to replace or alter their window tinting to remain street-legal.
Provides funding for law enforcement to acquire tint meters. By allocating state funds for the purchase of tint measuring devices, the bill ensures police have the tools necessary for consistent, objective enforcement, potentially increasing the number of violations detected.
Grandfathers in vehicles with compliant tinting as of the law’s effective date. Current vehicle owners whose window tints were legal under the previous law are protected from retroactive penalties, which may reduce pushback from affected drivers and clarify expectations for compliance.
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Who cares
Drivers of vehicles outside the listed body types
The bill would extend the 70% light-transmission requirement for rear side windows beyond station wagons, sedans, hardtops, coupes, hatchbacks and convertibles, with an exception for qualifying older vehicles whose windows complied with prior law.
Local law enforcement agencies
The bill would provide $50,000 through the Division of Criminal Justice Services for purchasing tint meters to enforce the standard.
Division of Criminal Justice Services
The agency would distribute the tint-meter funding to local law enforcement agencies.
Headline styles
Expand Rear Window Tint Limits
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
251
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 5, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. GANTT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to tinting on motor vehicle windows and making an appropriation therefor
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 12-a of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 155 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
(b) No person shall operate any motor vehicle upon any public highway, road or street:
(1) the front windshield of which is composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent unless such materials are limited to the uppermost six inches of the windshield; or
(2) the sidewings or side windows of which on either side forward of or adjacent to the operator's seat are composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent; or
(3) [if it is classified as a station wagon, sedan, hardtop, coupe, hatchback or convertible and any] the rear side [window] windows of which are composed of, covered by, or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent; or
(4) the rear window of which is composed of, covered by or treated with any material which has a light transmittance of less than seventy percent. A rear window may have a light transmittance of less than seventy percent if the vehicle is equipped with side mirrors on both sides of the vehicle so adjusted that the driver thereof shall have a clear and full view of the road and condition of traffic behind such vehicle.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01464-01-7
A. 251 2
§ 2. The sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated, and made immediately available to the division of criminal justice services for distribution to local law enforcement agencies for the purpose of purchasing tint meters to carry out the provisions of this act relating to the seventy percent light transmittance standard. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved in the manner prescribed by law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; provided, however, the provisions of this act shall not apply to persons operating that model year vehicle or earlier model year vehicle if the windows on said vehicle were in conformity with the provisions of paragraph (b) of subdivision 12-a of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law as such paragraph existed on the day preceding the effective date of this act.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.