What's happening
This bill increases fines for violations involving number plates on toll highways, bridges, and tunnels in New York State.
Why it matters
Targets Toll Evasion. By increasing fines specifically for number plate violations at toll highways, bridges, and tunnels, the bill aims to deter drivers from obscuring or altering plates to avoid paying tolls—addressing a common form of fraud and revenue loss.
Significantly Higher Penalties. The new fine range ($100–$500) for these locations is much steeper than the general penalty for plate violations elsewhere ($25–$200), signaling the state’s intent to treat toll-related violations as more serious offenses.
Potential Impact on Drivers. Drivers who manipulate or fail to properly display their plates at toll facilities now face much greater financial risk, which could encourage better compliance and reduce administrative burdens related to toll enforcement.
Supports Infrastructure Funding. By discouraging toll evasion, the bill could help ensure that transportation infrastructure funding from tolls is maintained, potentially benefiting road maintenance and improvements for all users.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Increase Toll Plate Fines
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 63–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1524
- Reported and committed to rules
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
381
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. CARLUCCI -- 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 violations concerning number plates on a toll highway, bridge and/or tunnel facility
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 8 of section 402 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 61 of the laws of 1989 and as renumbered by chapter 648 of the laws of 2006, is amended and a new subdivision 9 is added to read as follows:
8. [The] Except as provided in subdivision nine of this section, the violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars.
9. The violation of this section on a toll highway, bridge and/or tunnel facility shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01847-01-7
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 violations concerning number plates on a toll highway, bridge and/or tunnel facility
Purpose
To provide increased fines for violations of the law relating to number plates on vehicles for violations occurring on a toll highway, bridge and/or tunnel facility.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Adds a new subdivision 9 to section 402 of the vehicle and traffic law to provide that any violation of this section on a toll highway, bridge and/or tunnel facility shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars. This section also makes a corresponding technical amendment to subdivision 8 of section 402.
Section 2. Effective date.
Existing law
Existing law provides fines of not less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars for violations relating to number plates.
Justification
Several public authorities in New York have implemented the electronic toll collection system commonly referred to as E-ZPass. The E-ZPass system has increased customer convenience while reducing travel time, fuel consumption and potential back-ups at toll plazas for the Thruway Authority and other public authorities. While the benefits of E-ZPass are numerous, it does provide opportunities for abuse. Those who are not E-ZPass subscribers can evade tolls by driving through lanes designated for that purpose.
This bill addresses the increasing problem of motorists using special devices designed specifically to hide or shield a person's license plate from the view of the cameras that are used for toll collection enforcement by establishing higher fines for the use of such devices on a toll highway, bridge and/or tunnel facility.
Legislative history
2015-16: S2019 - Passed Senate/delivered to assembly 2014: S7603 - Transportation Committee
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after 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.