What's happening
This bill limits rental car companies to charging only actual toll costs, bans extra fees for electronic toll transponders, and allows refundable toll deposits.
Why it matters
Prevents hidden or excessive toll costs. By restricting rental car companies to charging only the actual toll amounts, the bill stops companies from adding profit-driven markups, ensuring renters aren’t surprised by inflated toll charges after their trip.
Bans “convenience” fees for toll devices. Rental car companies frequently add daily fees just for supplying an electronic toll transponder, even if the renter incurs little or no tolls. This bill eliminates those extra charges, making it cheaper and fairer for travelers who need to use toll roads.
Allows refundable toll deposits with clear rules. The bill sets a cap ($100) and requires prompt refunds (within 10 days), preventing companies from holding onto customer money unnecessarily or using deposits as an extra revenue source.
Improves transparency and consumer trust. By standardizing what can and cannot be charged regarding tolls and transponder use, the bill reduces confusion and disputes, giving renters more confidence in what they’ll actually pay.
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Headline styles
Limit Rental Car Toll Fees
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
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.
Limit Rental Car Toll Fees
In Senate Committee · Consumer Protection · Sponsor John J. Bonacic
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
9060
IN ASSEMBLY
January 18, 2018
Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to rental vehicle electronic tolling
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 396-z of the general business law is amended by adding a new paragraph (k) to read as follows:
(k) "Electronic tolling transponder" means a device capable of transmitting information from a motor vehicle to a toll lane for the purpose of charging an account the appropriate toll or charge in an electronic toll collection system, as defined by subdivision twelve of section twenty-nine hundred eighty-five of the public authorities law.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 396-z of the general business law is amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
(d) "Electronic tolling transponder" means a device capable of transmitting information from a motor vehicle to a toll lane for the purpose of charging an account the appropriate toll or charge in an electronic toll collection system, as defined by subdivision twelve of section twenty-nine hundred eighty-five of the public authorities law.
§ 3. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 7 of section 396-z of the general business law is relettered paragraph (e) and a new paragraph (d) is added to read as follows:
(d) In accordance with subdivision sixteen of this section, a rental vehicle company may require a deposit of up to one hundred dollars for payment of tolls charged to the electronic tolling transponder registered to such rental vehicle company. The rental vehicle company must refund such deposit minus any toll payments not more than ten days following the termination of the rental agreement.
§ 4. Subdivision 7 of section 396-z of the general business law, as amended by chapter 784 of the laws of 1988 and as renumbered by chapter 1 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
7. No rental vehicle company shall advertise, quote or charge a rental rate that does not include all charges, except taxes and any mileage
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14092-01-8
A. 9060 2
charge, which an authorized driver must pay to obtain a rental vehicle. In accordance with subdivision sixteen of this section, a rental vehicle company may require a deposit of up to one hundred dollars for payment of tolls charged to the electronic tolling transponder registered to such rental vehicle company. The rental vehicle company must refund such deposit minus any toll payments not more than ten days following the termination of the rental agreement.
§ 5. Section 396-z of the general business law is amended by adding a new subdivision 16 to read as follows:
16. A rental vehicle company shall not charge a renter more than the actual cost of payments made for tolls and/or charges prescribed by a public authority for the use of bridges, tunnels, or highways, nor shall such rental vehicle company charge a fee for usage of an electronic tolling transponder. A rental vehicle company may collect a deposit from the renter for actual charges incurred as a result of the renter's use of an electronic tolling transponder registered to the rental vehicle company.
§ 6. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the amendments to section 396-z of the general business law, made by sections one and three of this act, shall not affect the expiration of such section and shall be deemed expired therewith, when upon such date the provisions of sections two and four of this act shall take effect; and provided, further that the amendment to section 396-z of the general business law, made by section five of this act, shall survive the expiration and reversion of such section as provided in section 4 of chapter 656 of the laws of 2002, as amended.
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.