What's happening
This bill requires that driver responsibility assessments in New York be billed within three years of the related traffic infraction.
Why it matters
Limits the state’s ability to collect old fees. By requiring assessments to be billed within three years, the bill prevents the state from charging drivers for infractions that occurred far in the past, reducing the risk of unexpected, delayed financial penalties.
Improves financial certainty for drivers. Drivers will know within a reasonable timeframe if they owe a driver responsibility assessment, making household budgeting and personal financial planning easier and more predictable.
Encourages efficiency in government billing. The state Department of Motor Vehicles and related agencies will need to process and issue assessments more promptly, potentially leading to streamlined administrative procedures and fewer bureaucratic delays.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Three-Year Billing Deadline
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1177
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 6, 2017
Introduced by Sen. MARCELLINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring driver responsibility assessments to be assessed and billed to a driver within three years of the date of the traffic infraction that resulted in the assessment
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 503 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new paragraph (e-1) to read as follows:
(e-1) Any driver responsibility assessments imposed pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision shall be assessed and billed to the driver responsible for the assessment within three years of the date of the traffic infraction that resulted in the assessment.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06017-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring driver responsibility assessments to be assessed and billed to a driver within three years of the date of the traffic infraction that resulted in the assessment
Purpose
This legislation requires driver responsibility assessments to be assessed and billed to a driver within three years of the date of the traffic infraction that resulted in the assessment
Summary of provisions
Subdivision 4 of section 503 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new paragraph (e-1) to require driver responsibility assessments to be assessed and billed to a driver within three years of the date of the traffic infraction that resulted in the assessment.
Justification
The driver responsibility assessment is a fee a driver must pay to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if convicted of certain traffic offenses in New York State or if the driver accumulates six or more points on their driving record within 18 months.
This legislation does not challenge the concept of the driver responsibility assessment, but rather the time frame in which it can be imposed on an individual. A constituent was convicted of speeding tickets in 2006 and paid their fines in full. Believing the case was closed, they were shocked to be contacted 7 years later, in 2013, and informed from DMV that a driver responsibility assessment was now due.
Seven years is too long of a period of time to attach the assessment to a conviction. This legislation would remedy this problem and require driver responsibility assessments to be assessed and billed to a driver within three years of the date of the traffic infraction.
Legislative history
S.727 of 2015/16.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.