What's happening
This bill allows chief executives to designate any vehicle as an emergency vehicle during declared disaster or local emergencies.
Why it matters
Expands emergency response flexibility. By allowing chief executives to designate any vehicle as an emergency vehicle during disasters, the bill enables a wider range of resources—including private, commercial, or municipal vehicles—to perform critical emergency functions, potentially speeding up disaster response and relief.
Grants temporary legal privileges to designated vehicles. Vehicles designated as emergency vehicles under this authority would be able to operate under exemptions normally reserved for official emergency vehicles (such as ignoring curfews, traffic restrictions, or accessing restricted areas), which could improve logistics but also raises concerns about oversight and public safety.
Centralizes decision-making during emergencies. The bill gives significant power to local and state executives to make real-time decisions about which vehicles are essential, potentially streamlining command and control but also concentrating authority without predefined checks or public input.
May impact coordination and public trust. The broad discretion for designating emergency vehicles could lead to confusion or inconsistent application across jurisdictions, and may require additional communication and transparency to maintain public trust during emergencies.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Any Vehicle Emergency Status
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
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.
Let Officials Declare Emergency Vehicles
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Operations · Sponsor William Magnarelli
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1362
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 14, 2019
Introduced by Sen. GALLIVAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the executive law, in relation to authorizing chief executives to designate any vehicle as an emergency vehicle during a declaration of a disaster emergency by executive action or local state of emergency
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 101 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 446 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
§ 101. Authorized emergency vehicle. Every ambulance, police vehicle or bicycle, correction vehicle, fire vehicle, civil defense emergency vehicle, emergency ambulance service vehicle, blood delivery vehicle, county emergency medical services vehicle, environmental emergency response vehicle, sanitation patrol vehicle, hazardous materials emergency vehicle and ordnance disposal vehicle of the armed forces of the United States and any vehicle a chief executive, as defined pursuant to section twenty of the executive law, authorizes as an emergency vehicle during the governor's declaration of a disaster emergency by executive action pursuant to section twenty-eight of the executive law or a local state of emergency as defined pursuant to section twenty-four of the executive law.
§ 2. Paragraph a of subdivision 1 of section 24 of the executive law, as added by chapter 640 of the laws of 1978, is amended to read as follows:
a. the establishment of a curfew and the prohibition and control of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, except essential [emergency vehicles and personnel] authorized emergency vehicles as defined pursuant to section one hundred one of the vehicle and traffic law;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00204-01-9
S. 1362 2
§ 3. Paragraph g of subdivision 1 of section 24 of the executive law, as relettered by chapter 158 of the laws of 1994, is relettered paragraph h and a new paragraph g is added to read as follows:
g. the designation of any vehicle as an authorized emergency vehicle;
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the executive law, in relation to authorizing chief executives to designate any vehicle as an emergency vehicle during a declaration of a disaster emergency by execu- tive action or local state of emergency
Purpose
To afford chief executives (county executives, city and village mayors and town supervisors) the ability to designate, as deemed appropriate, vehicle(s) as an authorized emergency vehicle in the event a state of emergency is declared by either the governor or a local official.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the provision of the vehicle and traffic law, which defines an authorized emergency vehicle, to include that a chief execu- tive, as defined pursuant to section 20 of the executive, may authorize any vehicle as an emergency vehicle during the governor's declaration of a disaster emergency by executive action pursuant to section 28 of the executive law or a local state of emergency pursuant to section 24 of the executive law.
Section 2 amends the executive law governing local states of emergency by clarifying that emergency vehicles shall mean such vehicles as defined pursuant to section 101 of the vehicle and traffic law and that a chief executive may provide, as part of their emergency order, for the designation of any vehicle as an authorized emergency vehicle.
Section 3 sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Emergency preparedness plans can only go so far as to anticipating danger and the services needed during time of crisis. Storms and the challenges attached to them are equally diverse. Due to this, expanded emergency measures and deliveries of services can be beneficial.
From November 13-21 2014, a state of emergency was declared for 14 West- ern New York counties, including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Monroe, Oneida, Orleans, Oswego, Wayne, and Wyoming. During this snowstorm, there was an accumu- lation of approximately seven feet of snow which adversely impacted thousands of NYS residents.
This bill would connect community members with the types of services needed during a state of emergency by authorizing applicable municipal leaders to designate appropriate vehicle(s) as an emergency vehicle in order to deliver services, if deemed necessary. The overarching goal of this legislation is to better assist in ensuring safety during emergen- cies.
Legislative history
2017-18: S.2924/A.8972 Referred to Transportation/Referred to Govern- mental Operations 2015-16: S.6269/A.8651 Passed Senate/Referred to Government Operations
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.