What's happening
This bill allows drivers to use as a defense that a traffic signal was manipulated by law enforcement to issue a ticket.
Why it matters
Introduces a safeguard against potential abuse of traffic enforcement technology. by letting drivers defend themselves if law enforcement is found to have deliberately manipulated traffic signals to issue tickets, addressing concerns about fairness and due process.
Shifts some burden onto law enforcement. to prove that traffic signals were not manipulated for ticketing purposes, potentially increasing accountability and transparency in how traffic enforcement is conducted.
Could deter unethical practices. by police or other authorized personnel, as the risk of tickets being dismissed may discourage intentional manipulation of traffic lights for revenue or quota purposes.
May complicate traffic ticket adjudication. , as courts could see more challenges involving claims of signal manipulation, leading to the need for evidence or investigation into how a ticket was issued.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Ticket Trap Traffic Signals
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Ordered to third reading cal.147
- Advanced to third reading cal.495
- Reported
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3556
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, ORTIZ, PERRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to manipulation of traffic control signals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (a) of section 1110 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 259 of the laws of 1964, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Every person shall obey the instructions of any official trafficcontrol device applicable to him placed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, unless otherwise directed by a traffic or police officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle in this title. It shall be an affirmative defense to any charge of failing to obey a traffic control signal pursuant to section eleven hundred eleven of this article that a police officer, peace officer, or other person authorized to issue a summons or appearance ticket, manipulated such traffic control signal with the purpose of assessing a ticket against an individual.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to violations occurring on and after such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00753-01-9
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.