What's happening
This bill expands the enforcement and notification procedures for abandoned vehicles, and clarifies owner liability for removal, storage, and disposal costs.
Why it matters
Expands local enforcement options. The bill allows city, district, and justice courts in smaller municipalities (outside NYC) to enforce abandoned vehicle laws, potentially speeding up local response and increasing accountability for violations.
Streamlines notification process. Owners of abandoned vehicles can now be officially notified of violations by first-class mail with a certificate of mailing, simplifying and standardizing how municipalities communicate with vehicle owners about enforcement actions.
Clarifies and increases owner liability. The bill explicitly states that vehicle owners are responsible not just for the removal and storage, but also for the disposal costs of their abandoned vehicles—potentially exposing owners to higher financial penalties if they abandon a car.
Could encourage compliance and reduce blight. By making enforcement easier for municipalities and clarifying owner liabilities, the bill aims to discourage vehicle abandonment, which can reduce neighborhood blight, improve public safety, and lower cleanup costs for local governments.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Toughen Abandoned Car Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2589
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 24, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GANTT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to abandoned vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 207 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 173 of the laws of 1990, is amended to read as follows:
1. Except as otherwise provided, the commissioner shall be authorized to prescribe the form of summons and complaint in all cases involving a violation of any provision of this chapter, including [section] sections twelve hundred three-c and twelve hundred twenty-four, or of any provision of the tax law or of the transportation law regulating traffic, or of any ordinance, rule or regulation relating to traffic, and to establish procedures for proper administrative controls over the disposition thereof. The commissioner is not authorized to prescribe the form of summons and complaint for parking, stopping or standing violations or a violation of article forty-seven or forty-eight of this chapter.
§ 2. Paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (e) of subdivision 7 of section 1224 of the vehicle and traffic law are relettered paragraphs (c), (d), (e), and (f) and a new paragraph (b) is added to read as follows:
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in addition to those persons otherwise authorized to enforce this subdivision and adjudicate violations thereof, this subdivision shall also be enforceable, except in a city with a population of one million or more, in a city court, district court, or justice court within the municipality in which a violation of this subdivision is alleged to have occurred. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, service of a notice of violation for a violation of this subdivision committed in such municipality shall be made upon an owner by first-class mail, postage prepaid, accompanied by
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00736-01-9
A. 2589 2
a certificate of mailing from the United States postal service and any such notice served by mail shall be returnable to such municipality. Service shall be deemed complete upon mailing of the notice of violation, to the owner's last known place of residence or last known post-office address, unless the notice of violation is returned to the sender by the United States postal service for any reason other than refusal of delivery.
§ 3. Subdivision 9 of section 1224 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 795 of the laws of 1974, is amended to read as follows:
9. The last owner of an abandoned vehicle shall be liable to such local authority for the costs of removal [and], storage and disposal of such vehicle.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
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.