What's happening
This bill requires fingerprint-based criminal background checks for all applicants seeking for-hire vehicle licenses in New York.
Why it matters
Expands background check requirements. The bill mandates fingerprint-based criminal background checks for a wider range of for-hire vehicle applicants, including owners, general partners, and officers/principals/major stockholders (over 10%) of companies—not just individual drivers—ensuring that those with significant control or ownership are also vetted.
Requires both state and federal screening. By involving both the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and the FBI, the bill aims to provide a more comprehensive review of applicants’ criminal histories, catching offenses that may not appear in local records.
Standardizes procedures across vehicle types. The legislation harmonizes background check procedures for various for-hire vehicles (taxicabs, limousines, commuter vans, paratransit vehicles), closing potential loopholes and promoting consistent public safety standards across the industry.
Shifts cost burden to applicants. The new process requires applicants to pay all associated fingerprinting and background check fees, which could create an additional financial hurdle for some individuals or small business owners seeking to enter the for-hire vehicle market.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Driver Background Checks
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3286
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring background checks for for-hire vehicle licenses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new article 17-D to read as follows:
ARTICLE 17-D
BACKGROUND CHECK FOR FOR-HIRE VEHICLE LICENSES Section 499-m. Background check for for-hire vehicle licenses.
§ 499-m. Background check for for-hire vehicle licenses. Prior to the issuance of a taxicab, limousine, commuter van, paratransit or for-hire vehicle license, the applicant for such license shall be fingerprinted by the licensing authority authorized to issue such license for the purpose of securing criminal history records from both the state division of criminal justice services and the federal bureau of investigation. The applicant shall pay any processing fee required by the state division of criminal justice services and the federal bureau of investigation. Fingerprints shall be taken of the individual owner if the applicant is a sole proprietorship; the general partners if the applicant is a partnership; the officers, principals, and stockholders owning more than ten percent of the outstanding stock of the corporation if the applicant is a corporation.
§ 2. Subdivision l of section 19-504 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 115 of the city of New York for the year 1993, is amended and a new subdivision s is added to read as follows:
l. Prior to the issuance of a commuter van license, the applicant shall be fingerprinted for the purpose of securing criminal history
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07298-01-9
A. 3286 2
records from both the state division of criminal justice services and the federal bureau of investigation. The applicant shall pay any processing fee required by the state division of criminal justice services and the federal bureau of investigation. Fingerprints shall be taken of the individual owner if the applicant is a sole proprietorship; the general partners if the applicant is a partnership; the officers, principals, and stockholders owning more than ten percent of the outstanding stock of the corporation if the applicant is a corporation.
s. Prior to the issuance of a taxicab, limousine, paratransit or forhire vehicle license, the applicant shall be fingerprinted for the purpose of securing criminal history records from both the state division of criminal justice services and the federal bureau of investigation. The applicant shall pay any processing fee required by the state division of criminal justice services and the federal bureau of investigation. Fingerprints shall be taken of the individual owner if the applicant is a sole proprietorship; the general partners if the applicant is a partnership; the officers, principals, and stockholders owning more than ten percent of the outstanding stock of the corporation if the applicant is a corporation.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth 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.