What's happening
This bill requires courts to suspend a person's driver's license if convicted of operating a boat under the influence.
Why it matters
Links boating offenses with driving privileges. This bill makes a conviction for operating a boat while intoxicated directly impact your ability to drive a car, increasing the seriousness of boating under the influence by tying it to everyday driving rights.
Increases deterrence and public safety. By threatening suspension of a driver’s license (and possibly vehicle registration), the bill aims to deter people from boating under the influence in the same way as drunk driving, treating both as equally dangerous to public safety.
Expands court authority for penalties. Courts would not only have to suspend a person’s driver’s license, but would also have the option to suspend their vehicle registration, potentially disrupting daily life beyond just transportation, such as work or family responsibilities.
Closes a legal loophole. Previously, penalties for boating under the influence didn’t necessarily affect driving a car, allowing some offenders to avoid meaningful consequences. This bill ensures boating offenses are treated with similar gravity as driving offenses.
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Who cares
Vessel operators
Those convicted of the specified navigation law offenses would face mandatory suspension of their privilege to drive a motor vehicle.
Motor vehicle registrants
Courts could also suspend a motor vehicle registration following a qualifying conviction.
Courts handling boating offenses
The bill would require courts to suspend driving privileges and allow registration suspensions in the same manner provided under Vehicle and Traffic Law section 1193(2).
Headline styles
Revoke Licenses for Boating DUIs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
7 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to transportation
- Held for consideration in transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3300
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. RAIA, LUPINACCI, MONTESANO, McDONOUGH, RA, MURRAY, GUNTHER, FINCH, GARBARINO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BARCLAY, McLAUGHLIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the navigation law, in relation to revoking a person's driver's license following the conviction of operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 49-a of the navigation law is amended by adding a new subdivision 3-a to read as follows:
3-a. Privilege to operate a motor vehicle; suspension. The court shall suspend a person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle and may suspend a motor vehicle registration in the same manner as defined under subdivision two of section eleven hundred ninety-three of the vehicle and traffic law where an operator is convicted of a violation of paragraph (a), (b), (d) or (e) of subdivision two of this section or a violation of section forty-nine-b of this part.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06904-01-7
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.