What's happening
This bill increases fines and penalties for railroad corporations that intentionally or recklessly obstruct farm or highway crossings.
Why it matters
Significantly higher penalties (now up to $75,000 for repeat violations) may push railroad companies to prioritize keeping crossings clear, potentially improving safety and reducing delays for farmers, emergency vehicles, and the public.
The bill expands liability to include not just intentional but also reckless obstruction by railroad officers and employees, broadening the scope of what can be penalized and making it easier to hold railroads accountable for careless practices.
Explicitly states that fines must be paid by the railroad corporation itself, not individuals, increasing the financial incentive for companies to ensure compliance across their operations and not just at the employee level.
Clarifies the definition of “highway” for enforcement purposes, reducing ambiguity about which crossings are protected and supporting more consistent application of the law.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Raise Fines for Blocked Crossings
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
308
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. STECK, FAHY, SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the railroad law, in relation to increasing fines for obstructed farm and highway crossings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 53-c of the railroad law, as added by chapter 845 of the laws of 1972, is amended to read as follows:
§ 53-c. Obstructing farm and highway crossings. 1. Any officer or employee of a railroad corporation who shall intentionally or recklessly obstruct, and any owner, officer or employee of a railroad corporation who shall intentionally or recklessly cause to be obstructed any farm or highway crossing with any locomotive, train or car for a longer period than five consecutive minutes is guilty of a violation which shall be punishable by a fine of not more than [one hundred] five thousand dollars or imprisonment for not more than fifteen days or by both such fine and imprisonment for the first instance, a fine of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars or imprisonment for not more than fifteen days or by both such fine and imprisonment for the second instance, or a fine of not more than seventy-five thousand dollars or imprisonment for not more than fifteen days or by both such fine and imprisonment for the third instance. Such fines shall be borne by the owner of the railroad corporation found in violation of this section. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section or any local ordinance to the contrary, no owner, officer or employee of a railroad corporation who obstructs, or causes to be obstructed, any farm or highway crossing shall be subject to any civil, criminal or other penalty where such person has no control over the situation causing the obstruction or where the locomotive, train or car cannot be moved without endangering the safety of the passengers, the public or freight.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03518-01-9
A. 308 2
2. For purposes of this section "highway" shall mean the entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
§ 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.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.