What's happening
This bill creates the crime of official interference with transportation by public servants, making it a class E felony.
Why it matters
Holds public servants criminally accountable. This bill targets public officials who intentionally misuse their authority or neglect their duties to disrupt transportation, making them personally liable for such actions.
Protects essential infrastructure. By focusing on interference with roadways, railways, bridges, waterways, and airways, the bill aims to safeguard the uninterrupted functioning of critical transit systems, which are vital for public safety, commerce, and daily life.
Addresses both action and inaction. The law covers not only unauthorized acts by public servants (like improper road closures or misuse of resources) but also their deliberate failure to perform required duties—broadening the scope of accountability.
Acts as a deterrent through felony classification. By making this offense a class E felony, the legislation introduces serious legal consequences, potentially deterring public officials from behavior that could jeopardize the public’s access to transportation.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Punish Officials Blocking Transit
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Felony for Officials Blocking Transit
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Andrew J. Lanza
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8395
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 13, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CUSICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the offense of official interference with transportation
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The penal law is amended by adding a new section 195.03 to read as follows: § 195.03 Official interference with transportation.
A public servant is guilty of official interference with transportation when, with intent to impede, hamper, stall or otherwise interfere with the ordinary progress of any form of transportation on, in or through the roadways, highways, bridges, railways, waterways or airways of the state, he or she:
1. commits an act constituting an unauthorized exercise of his or her official functions, knowing that such act is unauthorized; or
2. knowingly refrains from performing an official duty imposed upon him or her, or is clearly inherent in the nature of his or her public office.
Official interference with transportation is a class E felony.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02557-01-7
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.