What's happening
This bill allows eligible New York farmers to receive a 50% discount on Thruway tolls when transporting agricultural products.
Why it matters
Reduces transportation costs for farmers. by providing a 50% discount on Thruway tolls, which could help small and medium-sized farms remain competitive by lowering their overhead expenses.
Targets aid to bona fide agricultural producers. by tying eligibility to those who already qualify for a specific state tax exemption, ensuring the benefit goes to active, legitimate farmers rather than other commercial users.
Requires verification and use of E-ZPass. Farmers must file their tax exemption certificate with the Thruway Authority to receive E-ZPass tags linked to the discount, creating an administrative process that both enables and limits access to the program.
Excludes non-commercial and non-agricultural travel. The discount cannot be used for personal or non-farming-related trips, nor does it apply to surcharges, focusing the benefit strictly on commercial agricultural activity.
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
Cut Thruway Tolls for Farmers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 127
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Print number 1265a
- Amend and recommit to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
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.
Discounted Tolls for Farmers
In Senate Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1265--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 14, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE, NORRIS, BRABENEC, WALCZYK, MANKTELOW -read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to allowing the New York state thruway authority to provide a discounted toll rate to farmers transporting agricultural products
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 354-a to read as follows:
§ 354-a. Discount for farmers. Farmers, engaged in activities listed in subdivision four of section two of the agriculture and markets law, and producing products as defined in subdivision five of section two of the agriculture and markets law, shall receive a toll discount on roads maintained by the thruway authority. Those farmers eligible for a tax exemption under subparagraph (A) of paragraph two of subsection (a) of section six hundred six of the tax law will be discounted fifty percent of the normal toll rate. This discount shall not apply to surcharges in addition to the regular crossing fare, and shall not be used in occasions of non-commercial vehicle travel. Farmers receiving the tax exemption under subparagraph (A) of paragraph two of subsection (a) of section six hundred six of the tax law may file the certificate produced for that exemption with the thruway authority. Upon receiving the certificate, the thruway authority shall issue E-ZPass tags to the farmers, providing them the fifty percent toll rate discount.
§ 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2021.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00550-03-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.