What's happening
This bill prohibits vessels from operating, anchoring, or mooring in New York waters while displaying digital billboards with flashing or moving lights.
Why it matters
Addresses safety and visual distraction concerns. By banning digital billboards with flashing or moving lights on vessels, the bill aims to reduce potential distractions for boaters, which could help prevent accidents on New York’s waterways.
Limits commercialization of public spaces. The prohibition seeks to keep navigable waters free from intrusive visual advertising, preserving the natural and scenic character of these areas for residents and visitors.
Empowers local governments with flexibility. Cities, villages, and towns can further restrict or, if they choose, allow such digital advertising within 1,500 feet of their shorelines, giving local communities control over how their waterfronts are managed.
Imposes meaningful penalties for violations. The bill sets substantial fines ($1,000 for the first offense, $5,000 for subsequent ones), signaling that the state intends to enforce this prohibition seriously and deter would-be violators.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Digital Billboards on Boats
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Substituted by S6541A
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.532
- Rules report cal.532
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reference changed to codes
- Print number 8290b
- Amend and recommit to tourism, parks, arts and sports development
- Print number 8290a
- Amend (t) and recommit to tourism, parks, arts and sports development
- Referred to tourism, parks, arts and sports development
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.
Ban Boat Digital Billboards
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Brad Hoylman-Sigal
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8290--B
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 13, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GOTTFRIED -- read once and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the navigation law, in relation to prohibiting vessels from operating, anchoring or mooring in the navigable waters of the state while operating a digital billboard board
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The navigation law is amended by adding a new section 43-a to read as follows:
§ 43-a. Use of digital billboards. 1. All vessels shall be prohibited from operating, anchoring or mooring in the navigable waters of the state while operating a digital billboard or other type of billboard that uses flashing, intermittent or moving lights.
2. As used in this section, the term "digital billboard" shall mean a one or multi-sided outdoor advertising sign that displays digital images using light-emitting diode technology or any such similar technology, unless exclusively used to identify the vessel.
3. This section shall not be construed to limit any authority delegated to a city, village or town pursuant to section forty-six-a of this part. A city, village or town may, by local law, expressly restrict or prohibit the use of outdoor advertising signage on vessels within one thousand five hundred feet of its shore or expressly authorize vessels to operate a digital billboard or other type of billboard that uses flashing, intermittent or moving lights within one thousand five hundred feet of its shore.
4. A violation of the provisions of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of one thousand dollars for the first violation, and five thousand dollars for all subsequent violations.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11056-05-9
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.