What's happening
This bill authorizes New York City to install photo speed violation monitoring systems in all school speed zones and removes the program's expiration.
Why it matters
Expands speed camera coverage to all school zones. , meaning every school in New York City could have automated enforcement, not just those previously selected based on crash data or roadway design. This could lead to broader deterrence of speeding citywide, especially during key times when students are present.
Removes the cap and selection criteria for camera placement. , shifting from a targeted, data-driven approach (prioritizing high-risk school zones) to a universal one. This may raise questions about efficiency, resource allocation, and privacy, but also signals a policy shift toward treating child safety as a universal right rather than a matter of risk management.
Makes the program permanent by eliminating the sunset clause. , ensuring that photo speed enforcement in school zones won’t expire unless changed by future legislation. This provides long-term certainty for city planning and budgeting, but reduces legislative oversight and opportunities for periodic review or adjustment.
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
Speed Cameras at All Schools
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to transportation
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
472
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PERALTA -- 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 authorizing the city of New York to install photo speed violation monitoring systems in every school speed zone in such city; and to amend chapter
189 of the laws of 2013 amending the vehicle and traffic law and the public officers law relating to establishing in a city with a population of one million or more a demonstration program implementing speed violation monitoring systems in school speed zones by means of photo devices, in relation to eliminating the expiration and repeal of the provisions thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 1180-b of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 43 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the city of New York is hereby authorized to establish a demonstration program imposing monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for failure of an operator thereof to comply with posted maximum speed limits in a school speed zone within the city (i) when a school speed limit is in effect as provided in paragraphs one and two of subdivision (c) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article or (ii) when other speed limits are in effect as provided in subdivision (b), (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article during the following times: (A) on school days during school hours and one hour before and one hour after the school day, and (B) a period during student activities at the school and up to thirty minutes immediately before and up to thirty minutes immediately after such student activities. Such demonstration program shall empower the city to install photo speed violation monitoring systems within [no
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00137-01-7
S. 472 2
more than one hundred forty] all school speed zones within the city [at any one time] and to operate such systems within such zones (iii) when a school speed limit is in effect as provided in paragraphs one and two of subdivision (c) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article or (iv) when other speed limits are in effect as provided in subdivision (b), (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article during the following times: (A) on school days during school hours and one hour before and one hour after the school day, and (B) a period during student activities at the school and up to thirty minutes immediately before and up to thirty minutes immediately after such student activities. [In selecting a school speed zone in which to install and operate a photo speed violation monitoring system, the city shall consider criteria including, but not limited to the speed data, crash history, and the roadway geometry applicable to such school speed zone.]
§ 2. Paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 1180-b of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 189 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the city of New York is hereby authorized to establish a demonstration program imposing monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for failure of an operator thereof to comply with posted maximum speed limits in a school speed zone within the city (i) when a school speed limit is in effect as provided in paragraphs one and two of subdivision (c) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article or (ii) when other speed limits are in effect as provided in subdivision (b), (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article during the following times: (A) on school days during school hours and one hour before and one hour after the school day, and (B) a period during student activities at the school and up to thirty minutes immediately before and up to thirty minutes immediately after such student activities. Such demonstration program shall empower the city to install photo speed violation monitoring systems within [no more than twenty] all school speed zones within the city [at any one time] and to operate such systems within such zones (iii) when a school speed limit is in effect as provided in paragraphs one and two of subdivision (c) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article or (iv) when other speed limits are in effect as provided in subdivision (b), (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article during the following times: (A) on school days during school hours and one hour before and one hour after the school day, and (B) a period during student activities at the school and up to thirty minutes immediately before and up to thirty minutes immediately after such student activities. [In selecting a school speed zone in which to install and operate a photo speed violation monitoring system, the city shall consider criteria including, but not limited to the speed data, crash history, and the roadway geometry applicable to such school speed zone.]
§ 3. The opening paragraph of section 15 of chapter 189 of the laws of 2013 amending the vehicle and traffic law and the public officers law relating to establishing in a city with a population of one million or more a demonstration program implementing speed violation monitoring systems in school speed zones by means of photo devices is amended to read as follows:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law [and shall expire 5 years after such effective date when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed]; [and] provided [further] that any rules necessary for the implementation
S. 472 3
of this act on its effective date shall be promulgated on or before such effective date, provided further that:
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately, except that section one of this act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that the amendments to paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 1180-b of the vehicle and traffic law, made by section one of this act, shall not affect the expiration and reversion of such paragraph pursuant to section 12 of chapter 43 of the laws of 2014, as amended, when upon such date section two of this act shall take effect.
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 authorizing the city of New York to install photo speed violation monitoring systems in every school speed zone in such city; and to amend chapter 189 of the laws of 2013 amending the vehicle and traffic law and the public officers law relating to establishing in a city with a population of one million or more a demonstration program implementing speed violation monitoring systems in school speed zones by means of photo devices, in relation to eliminating the expiration and repeal of the provisions thereof
Purpose
Lifts the numerical cap on the use of photo speed enforcement cameras to include all school zones within the city of New York, and makes permanent the photo speed monitoring program originally established in the city of New York through the laws of 2013
Summary of provisions
Sections 1, 2 and 3 amend Paragraph I of Subdivision (a) of Section 1180-b of the Vehicle and Traffic Law by lifting the cap on the use of photo speed enforcement cameras in the city of New York to permit the use of such devices in all school zones within the city of New York.
Read the full memo (640 words)
Section 4 sets forth the effective date of the legislation.
Justification
In 2013, the Legislature approved a limited demonstration program to be orchestrated by the City of New York, through which the New York City Department of Transportation was authorized to install photo speed monitoring enforcement systems (e.g., "speed cameras") within some of the City's reduced speed school zones. However, this program was limited to 140 cameras Citywide. Further, temporal restrictions were placed on the operation of these cameras, limiting their use to periods during school hours, as well as an hour before and after the commencement of the school day, as well as during a period of student activities at a school, as well as a half hour before and after this activity period.
In its short history, this program has proven to be a success. Media reports indicate that as the New York City Department of Transportation installed speed cameras at particular intersections, the rate of speeding at some locations has dropped more than sixty percent. There is no question that speeding is the determining factor in a large number of the traffic fatalities facing New York City annually, including hit-and-run incidents. According to media reports, the New York City Department of Transportation found that upon installation, speed cameras issued an average of 192 violations per day, which dropped to an average of 69 violations only eight months later.
Simply put, the presence of speed cameras has had the positive effect of slowing down drivers. Though the financial cost of speed cameras to drivers could be high, the cost involved with a persistent loss of life is a greater one. It is sensible public policy to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities through the expanded installation of speed cameras in New York City school zones.
Given the great success of the demonstration program to date, it is also sensible to make permanent the provisions relative to the use of speed camera enforcement technologies in New York City.
Prior legislative history
2015-2016 S7213
Fiscal impact
TBD.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately, except that section one of this act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that the amendments to paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 1180-b of the vehicle and traffic law, made by section one of this act, shall not affect the expiration and reversion of such paragraph pursuant to section 12 of chapter 43 of the laws of 2014, as amended, when upon such date section two of this act shall take effect.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.