Keep School Bus Idling Limits

Section 2 of chapter 670: States this bill take effect immediately and repealed June 30, 2019 upon the commissioner of education finds that all vehicles owned or leased by schools no longer run on fossil fuels and use alternative fuels with zero emission and is reported to legislative bill drafting in order to keep accurate and timely effective data.

Section 2: Effective Date

Justification

From Buffalo to Long Island this is a real problem with harmful conse- quences for our children. Each school day, over 2.3 million children board over 55,000 diesel-powered school buses and are exposed to lung irritating chemicals. For many children this exposure triggers asthma attacks. For others this exposure will lead to respiratory problems. The proposed extender legislation is a simple, pragmatic and no-cost approach to dealing with idling vehicles outside school and childcare grounds. It continues to stop the wasteful and dangerous idling of dozens of school buses in areas congested with children this is a common sense issue that protects our children. Groups ranging from the American Medical Association to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency support extending the rule to continue to protect children from harmful idling emissions during the school day. There are no fiscal impacts associated with extending the law.

The growing number of asthmatic children and bad-air quality surrounding our schools requires that we act diligently to continue to address this problem in as many ways as we can. The extension of this legislation is strongly supported by the American Lung Association, the NYS Pupil Transportation Association, and environmental justice groups from across New York who have been advocating for clean air policies for years.

We need to be better in terms of our carbon emissions; In general, we need to be better environmental stewards. The new law should hold all motor vehicles to the 5-minute standard, and should apply to vehicles sitting on both public and private property. The penalty associated with the law may consist of a first offense that will cost you $100. A

second offense within seven years will be a $400 ticket. Third and subsequent offenses within seven years will be a $600 ticket.

Several exceptions to the limit should be built into the law as well. People may idle vehicles to use their defrosters, air conditioners, heaters and other equipment to "prevent a health or safety emergency, including for the purpose of providing shelter. Drivers should be exempt to the 5 min idling law if the outside temperature is below 20 degrees or above 90 degrees, and/or actively loading and unloading passengers or property on private property. Lastly, idling in congested traffic, for repair or service work, and for using equipment attached to a vehicle, such as a crane or concrete mixer, should be exempt from the law.

A number of health problems that can be exacerbated by car exhaust, which includes pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. Asthma, particularly for children, can be triggered by the fumes as well.

Prior legislative history

New legislation.

Fiscal implications for state and local governments

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately