What's happening
This bill prohibits heavy-duty vehicles from idling for more than three minutes, with certain exemptions and educational outreach required.
Why it matters
Targets air pollution from large vehicles. By limiting idling of heavy-duty vehicles (over 8,500 pounds), the bill aims to reduce emissions of pollutants that contribute to poor air quality, with potential benefits for public health, especially in urban or high-traffic areas.
Allows for flexibility and local control. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) can create and update exemptions as needed, and local governments can enact stricter idling laws without being overridden—ensuring adaptability for different regions and situations.
Includes outreach and education for enforcement. The requirement for the DEC and Department of Motor Vehicles to educate law enforcement helps ensure consistent application of the law and may improve compliance by increasing awareness among officers and the public.
Protects emergency vehicle operations. The bill exempts authorized emergency vehicles in situations already covered by New York City law, balancing environmental goals with the necessity of uninterrupted emergency services.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Limit Truck Idling Time
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
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 Truck Engine Idling
In Senate Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Brian Kavanagh
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
487
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sens. SQUADRON, HOYLMAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting idling by heavy-duty vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new section 19-0326 to read as follows: § 19-0326. Prohibition on idling by heavy-duty vehicles.
1. No person shall allow or permit the idling of a heavy-duty vehicle for more than three minutes except as otherwise provided by the department in regulation.
2. The department may adopt and update, from time to time, regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section. The regulations shall include any exemptions deemed by the department to be necessary or appropriate.
3. As used in this section "heavy-duty vehicle" means a vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding eight thousand five hundred pounds designed primarily for transporting persons or properties.
4. The department, in cooperation with the department of motor vehicles, shall conduct outreach and provide educational materials on the provisions of this section to law enforcement officers throughout the state.
5. No local law or ordinance governing the idling of heavy-duty vehicles shall be preempted by this section. This section shall not apply to authorized emergency vehicles as defined in section one hundred one of the vehicle and traffic law that are exempt from the idling restrictions set forth in section 24-163 of the administrative code of the city of New York.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01911-01-7
S. 487 2
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting idling by heavy-duty vehicles
Purpose
This legislation seeks to reduce the overall air pollution in New York state by prohibiting more than three consecutive minutes of idling by heavy duty vehicles.
Summary of provisions
This bill amends the environmental conservation law by adding a new section 19-0326 to prohibit idling by heavy-duty vehicles for more than three minutes.
This bill complements regulations (6NYCRR § 217-3.2) that the Department of Environmental Conservation administers. This legislation would establish idling in excess of three minutes as a violation.
Justification
Idling engines are a significant source of pollution, have negative health effects, especially increasing asthma rates, and decrease the quality of life for New York State residents. An idling vehicle releases more pollution than a vehicle that is in motion. This bill seeks to reduce the amount of dangerous emissions released into the air from certain heavy-duty vehicles by preventing them from idling for longer than three consecutive minutes. This bill allows reasonable exceptions while ensuring that unnecessary idling is curtailed.
Legislative history
2016: S2353/A5711 - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION/ referred to environmental conservation 2015: S2353/A5711 - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION/ referred to environmental conservation 2013-2014: S200/A3098 - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION/ referred to environmental conservation 2011-2012: S36/A6224 - NOTICE OF COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION - REQUESTED/ referred to environmental conservation 2009-2010: S5287-D/ A11028-A - PASSED SENATE/ referred to environmental conservation
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect the 90th day after becoming a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.