What's happening
The Toll Payer Protection Act establishes rules and consumer protections for New York's cashless tolling and tolls by mail system, including limits on penalties, debt collection, and required public reporting.
Why it matters
Caps and Limits on Penalties and Debt Collection. The bill sets strict limits on late fees and penalties for unpaid tolls ($5 for a late bill, $25 maximum for a violation), and stops authorities from selling toll debt to collection agencies unless the debt is a year old or over $1,000, and only after a default judgment—protecting drivers from excessive financial penalties and aggressive debt collection.
Mandatory Notice and Dispute Process. Authorities must follow a clear, multi-step notification process—sending toll bills and violation notices within set timeframes, including detailed information, and providing an explicit, accessible system for drivers to contest charges. If authorities don’t follow these steps or miss deadlines, drivers are not liable for the tolls or penalties, ensuring due process and fairness.
Privacy and Data Protection. The law restricts the use and sharing of vehicle images and personal information gathered through cashless tolling—limiting their use to toll enforcement and prohibiting commercial use or public release without consent. This protects the privacy of drivers and limits potential data misuse.
Transparency and Accountability. Each authority must publish annual reports detailing toll collections, dispute outcomes, penalty revenues, and undeliverable notices, and make regulations public. This level of reporting provides oversight and helps identify systemic issues or unfair practices within the cashless tolling system.
Amnesty and Installment Plans. For past toll debts, a one-time amnesty program wipes out fees and penalties for drivers who pay or contest their bills during the period, and authorities must offer installment payment plans for tolls and penalties—making it easier for struggling drivers to resolve outstanding debts without additional financial stress.
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Who cares
Vehicle owners billed through tolls by mail
The bill would cap late-payment and violation penalties, require no-fee installment plans and prohibit registration suspensions tied to covered toll obligations.
Public authorities operating cashless toll facilities
They would face billing deadlines, mandatory dispute and appeal procedures, privacy protections and annual reporting requirements.
Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority customers with outstanding toll balances
Eligible owners would receive an amnesty period to pay or contest toll balances, obtain fee and penalty waivers and have related registration suspensions rescinded.
Debt collection agencies
Transfers of covered toll debt would require a default judgment and advance notice, and generally could not occur until one year after liability was determined unless the owner's debt totaled at least $1,000.
Headline styles
Protect Drivers from Toll Penalties
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
14 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Tabled
- Vetoed memo.201
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–1
- 3rd reading cal.1702
- Substituted for S6113A
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.399
- Rules report cal.399
Show 7 earlier actions
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Print number 7587a
- Amend and recommit to codes
- Reported referred to codes
- 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.
Protect Toll Payers' Rights
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor David Carlucci
Full text
8 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7587--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 10, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- reported and referred to the Committee on Codes -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to enacting the "toll payer protection act"; and providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "toll payer protection act".
§ 2. Section 2985 of the public authorities law is designated to title 11-A of article 9 of such law.
§ 3. Article 9 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a new title 11-A to read as follows:
TITLE 11-A
TOLL COLLECTIONS
§ 2985-a. Tolls by mail. 1. Applicability. This section shall apply to the tolls by mail program and shall not apply to the payment of tolls by means of an electronic toll device that transmits information through an electronic toll collection system as defined in subdivision twelve of section twenty-nine hundred eighty-five of this title.
2. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Cashless tolling facility" shall mean a toll highway, bridge or tunnel facility that does not provide for the immediate on-site payment in cash of a toll owed for the use of such facility.
(b) "Cashless tolling monitoring system" shall mean a vehicle sensor which automatically produces a recorded image of a vehicle and license plate at the time it is used or operated at a cashless tolling facility
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11629-02-9
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and whose owner has incurred an obligation to pay a toll through the cashless tolling program.
(c) "Debt collection agency" shall mean a person, firm or corporation engaged in business, the principal purpose of which is to regularly collect or attempt to collect debts owed or due or asserted to be owed or due to another and shall also include a buyer of delinquent debt who seeks to collect such debt either directly or through the services of another by, including but not limited to, initiating or using legal processes or other means to collect or attempt to collect such debt.
(d) "Electronic means of communication" shall include but not be limited to electronic mail and text messaging.
(e) "Electronic toll collection system" shall mean a system of collecting tolls or charges which is capable of charging an account holder the appropriate toll or charge by transmission of information from an operable electronic device on a motor vehicle to the toll lane, which information is used to charge the account the appropriate toll or charge.
(f) "Lessee" shall mean any person, corporation, firm, partnership, agency, association, or organization that rents, leases or contracts for the use of one or more vehicles and has exclusive use thereof for any period of time.
(g) "Lessor" shall mean any person, corporation, firm, partnership, agency, association, or organization engaged in the business of renting or leasing vehicles to any lessee under a rental agreement, lease or otherwise wherein such lessee has the exclusive use of such vehicle for any period of time.
(h) "Notice of violation" shall mean a notice sent to an owner notifying such owner that a toll incurred at a cashless tolling facility by the owner has not been paid at the place and time and in the manner established for collection of such toll in the toll bill.
(i) "Operable electronic device" shall mean an electronic device that successfully transmits information through an electronic toll collection system.
(j) "Owner" shall mean any person, corporation, partnership, firm, agency, association, lessor or organization who, at the time of incurring an obligation to pay a toll at a cashless tolling facility, and with respect to the vehicle identified in the notice of toll due: (i) is the beneficial or equitable owner of such vehicle; or (ii) has title to such vehicle; or (iii) is the registrant or co-registrant of such vehicle which is registered with the department of motor vehicles of this state or any other state, territory, district, province, nation or other jurisdiction; or (iv) is subject to the limitations set forth in subdivision ten of section twenty-nine hundred eighty-five of this title, uses such vehicle in its vehicle renting and/or leasing business; or (v) is a person entitled to the use and possession of a vehicle subject to a security interest in another person.
(k) "Penalty" shall mean any late payment fees, charges, or monetary penalties imposed by a public authority, exclusive of any toll or tolls incurred at the cashless tolling facility, for failure to timely pay an obligation to pay a toll.
(l) "Toll bill" shall mean a notice sent to an owner notifying such owner that the owner's vehicle has been used or operated at a cashless tolling facility, crossed a cashless tolling monitoring system without an operable electronic device and has incurred an obligation to pay a toll.
A. 7587--A 3
(m) "Tolls by mail program" shall mean any program operated by or on behalf of a public authority to identify vehicles that cross through a cashless tolling facility without an operable electronic device and to send a toll bill or notice of violation to the owner of the vehicle.
(n) "Violation" shall mean the failure of the owner to timely respond to a toll bill.
3. Authorization for cashless tolling. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, every public authority that operates a toll highway, bridge and/or tunnel facility and is authorized pursuant to section twenty-nine hundred eighty-five of this title to promulgate toll collection regulations and to impose monetary liability for failure to comply with such regulations is hereby authorized and empowered to operate a demonstration program for utilization of cashless tolling facilities, cashless tolling monitoring systems, and a tolls by mail program and to impose monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for failure to comply with the toll collection regulations of such public authority so long as each public authority complies with the provisions of this section. Such public authority shall promulgate regulations establishing a demonstration program for the utilization of cashless tolling facilities, cashless tolling monitoring systems, and a tolls by mail program that comply with the provisions of this section. Such regulations may impose monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for failure to comply with such regulations. No public authority shall own, operate or otherwise facilitate a cashless tolling facility, cashless tolling monitoring system, or tolls by mail program without first promulgating regulations pursuant to and in compliance with this section.
(b) Such demonstration program shall utilize necessary technologies to ensure, to the extent practicable, that recorded images produced by such cashless tolling monitoring systems shall not include images that identify the driver, the passengers, or the contents of a vehicle. However, no toll bill or notice of violation issued pursuant to this section shall be invalid solely because a recorded image allows for the identification of the contents of a vehicle, provided that such public authority has made a reasonable effort to comply with the provisions of this paragraph.
(c) Every public authority that operates a cashless tolling facility shall undertake a public awareness campaign regarding the use of and process involved with the payment of tolls at cashless tolling facilities. Each public authority shall provide sufficient methods for owners to obtain an operable electronic device for the electronic toll collection system, including making such devices available at all rest areas owned or operated by each authority.
(d) Every public authority that operates a cashless tolling facility shall maintain a website and toll-free phone number for any person to obtain current information on any outstanding tolls and shall implement a system to notify those owners who so request by electronic means of communication about tolls as they are incurred. Such website and phone number shall be printed on any toll bill or notice of violation.
4. Owner liability. (a) Within the jurisdiction of every public authority which has promulgated regulations pursuant to subdivision three of this section: (i) the owner shall incur an obligation to pay a toll when the owner's vehicle crosses through a cashless tolling facility pursuant to this section if such vehicle was used or operated with the permission of the owner, express or implied, and such obligation is evidenced by information obtained from the cashless tolling monitoring system; or (ii) the owner of a vehicle shall incur an obligation to pay
A. 7587--A 4
a toll when such vehicle crosses a cashless tolling facility without an operable electronic device and is identified by a cashless tolling monitoring system.
(b) The owner of a vehicle shall be liable for a civil penalty imposed pursuant to this section if such owner incurred an obligation to pay a toll and fails to timely pay or respond to such toll in the manner set forth in the toll bill in accordance with this section and shall be liable for penalties in accordance with the penalties set forth herein. Provided, however, no owner of a vehicle shall be liable for a penalty imposed pursuant to this section where the operator of such vehicle has been convicted of a violation of toll collection regulations for the same incident.
5. Toll bills and notices of violation. (a) Toll bill. The public authority shall within thirty days of an owner incurring an obligation to pay a toll send a toll bill by first-class mail to such owner. (i) Within thirty days of the mailing of the toll bill the owner shall (A) pay the toll, without liability for any penalty, or (B) contest such toll bill. (ii) The toll bill shall include: (A) the date, time, location, license plate number and vehicle registration for each toll; (B) the total amount of the toll due; (C) the date by which the toll must be paid; (D) the address for receipt of payment and methods of payment for such toll bill; (E) the procedure for contesting any toll; (F) information related to the failure to timely pay or respond to a toll bill; and (G) any other information required by law or by the authority. If an authority fails to send a toll bill as set forth in this section, the owner shall not be liable for payment of the tolls, or any penalty.
(b) Second toll bill. If an owner fails to respond to a toll bill within thirty days of the mailing of such toll bill, the public authority shall send a second toll bill by first-class mail within thirty days of the date the owner was required to respond to such toll bill. Such second toll bill may include a penalty for late payment, which shall not exceed five dollars and shall include all of the information required for a toll bill pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision. Within thirty days of the mailing of the second toll bill the owner shall (i) pay the assessed toll and any penalty provided in such notice, or (ii) contest toll bill.
(c) Notice of violation. If an owner fails to respond to a second toll bill within thirty days of the mailing of such second toll bill, the public authority shall send by first-class mail a notice of violation within thirty days of the date the owner was required to respond to such second toll bill. (i) The notice of violation shall include: (A) the date, time, location, license plate number and vehicle registration for each toll; (B) the assessed toll and the total amount of all outstanding tolls and penalties as authorized by this section; (C) the date by which payment of such amounts are due; (D) the address for receipt of payment and methods of payment for the amounts due; (E) the procedure for contesting any such amounts; (F) information related to the failure to timely pay or respond to a notice of violation; and (G) any other information required by law or by the authority. The notice of violation may include a penalty which shall be no greater than twenty-five dollars. If the authority fails to send a timely notice of violation as set forth in this section, the owner shall not be liable for payment of the alleged tolls or any penalty. (ii) The owner shall have thirty days from the date such notice of violation was sent to (A) pay the assessed toll and penalties, or (B) contest the notice. If an owner fails to respond to
A. 7587--A 5
the notice of violation, the owner shall be liable for the assessed toll and any penalty as provided in such notice.
(d) Electronic notice. Any toll bill required by this section to be sent by first-class mail may instead be sent by electronic means of communication upon the affirmative consent of the owner in a form prescribed by the authority. Any notice of violation required by this section to be sent by first-class mail may in addition to first-class mail be sent by electronic means of communication upon the affirmative consent of the owner in a form prescribed by the authority. A manual or automatic record of electronic communications prepared in the ordinary course of business shall be sufficient record of electronic notice. Any affirmative consent to receive a toll bill or notice of violation by electronic means shall be revocable by the owner at any time with notice to the public authority or its agent and shall automatically be deemed revoked if the authority or its agent is unable to deliver two consecutive notices by electronic means of communication.
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