What's happening
This bill prohibits unauthorized use, sale, or possession of devices that change traffic signals, establishing criminal penalties for violations.
Why it matters
Improves road safety by restricting devices that can manipulate traffic lights. , which, if misused by the general public, could create dangerous and unpredictable traffic situations, increase the risk of accidents, and undermine emergency operations.
Establishes clear exceptions for emergency and public transit vehicles. , ensuring that lifesaving and essential services can continue to use these devices legally and safely in the course of their official duties, while holding unauthorized users accountable.
Imposes significant criminal and financial penalties. , including misdemeanors, fines, and even felony charges if injury or death results, which serves as a strong deterrent against tampering with traffic signals and emphasizes the seriousness of such conduct.
Closes loopholes by defining what constitutes a preemption device and updating related laws. , making enforcement more straightforward and removing ambiguities about what is or isn’t allowed under state law.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Traffic Signal Hacking Devices
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 39
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.350
- Referred to transportation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
Show 5 earlier actions
- Amended on third reading 1632a
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.53
- 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.
Ban Traffic Signal Changers
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1632--A Cal. No. 53
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to prohibiting the use of any device which affects the operation of a traffic-control signal
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 section 154-a to read as follows:
§ 154-a. Traffic-control signal preemption device. Any device designed or used to change or attempt to change the signal indications of a traffic-control signal or traffic-control device. This shall include, but not be limited to, a mobile infrared transmitter or other device that is capable of sending a signal that interrupts or changes the sequence patterns of an official traffic-control device or trafficcontrol signal.
§ 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 397-c to read as follows:
§ 397-c. Unauthorized sale, purchase, or use of traffic-control signal preemption device.
1. No person shall buy, possess, manufacture, install, sell, offer for sale, or otherwise distribute a traffic-control signal preemption device, unless the purchase, possession, manufacture, installation, sale, offer for sale, or distribution is for use of the device by an authorized emergency vehicle or public transportation vehicle.
2. (a) Excluding an authorized emergency vehicle or authorized public transportation vehicle operating within the scope of his or her official duties, no person shall operate any motor vehicle which he or she knows
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00309-03-9
S. 1632--A 2
is equipped with a traffic-control signal preemption device. The presence in a motor vehicle of a traffic-control signal preemption device connected to a power source and in an operable condition is presumptive evidence of the operator's knowledge of the device. Such presumption shall be rebutted by any credible and reliable evidence which tends to show that the operator of the motor vehicle was not aware of the presence of such device. The definition of an "authorized public transportation vehicle" shall include, but not be limited to, public transportation authorized under titles eleven, eleven-A, eleven-B, eleven-C, and eleven-D of article five of the public authorities law or public transportation authorized under chapter one hundred fifty-four of the laws of of nineteen hundred twenty-one relating to the port authority of New York and New Jersey.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person using such a device while engaged in the authorized maintenance or repair of a traffic-control signal.
(c) Authorized emergency vehicle personnel shall only operate a traffic-control signal preemption device in the course of an emergency operation.
3. (a) Unauthorized manufacture, installation, sale, offer for sale, or distribution of a traffic-control signal preemption device in violation of subdivision one of this section shall be a class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of five thousand dollars for each device manufactured, installed, sold, offered for sale, or distributed.
(b) Unauthorized purchase or possession of a traffic-control signal preeemption device in violation of subdivision one or two of this section shall constitute a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than three hundred dollars.
(c) A violation of paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this section while using a traffic-control signal preemption device to change or attempt to change the signal indications of a traffic-control signal or traffic-control device shall constitute a class A misdemeanor.
(d) If a serious physical injury or death, as defined by article ten of the penal law, occurs as a result of a violation of paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this section while using a traffic-control signal preemption device to affect the operation of a traffic-control signal or traffic-control device, such violation shall constitute a class E felony.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to supersede the provisions of any other applicable section of law.
§ 3. Subdivision (b) of section 1115 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 251 of the laws of 2016, is amended and a new subdivision (d) is added to read as follows:
(b) For the purposes of this section the following terms shall have the following meanings:
1. to "deface" shall include, but not be limited to, to damage, destroy, disfigure, erase, ruin, distort, spoil or otherwise change the external appearance of an object by the use of chalk, crayon, paint, stain, ink or other similar material.
2. to "alter" a traffic-control signal shall include, but not be limited to, changing or attempting to change the signal indications of a traffic-control signal by use of a traffic-control signal preemption device.
[3. "traffic-control signal preemption device" shall mean any device designed or used to change or attempt to change the signal indications of a traffic-control signal.]
S. 1632--A 3
(d) A violation of this section shall be subject to penalties in accordance with paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) of subdivision three of section three hundred ninety-seven-c of this chapter.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
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, in relation to prohibiting the use of any device which affects the operation of a traffic-control signal
Purpose or general idea of bill
To prohibit the operation of any vehicle, except an emergency vehicle, that is equipped with a device which affects the operation of a traffic control signal.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Adds a new definition of "traffic-control signal preemption device" to Section 154-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Section 2: Forbids the purchase, possession, manufacture, installation, sale, distribution or use of a traffic-control signal preemption device (authorized emergency vehicles and public transportation vehicles are exempt). Sets out penalties for violating this law.
Section 3: Additional penalties. Section 4: Effective date.
Existing law
None exists
Justification
There are people willing to pay as much as $1,000 for a device that allows them to change a red light to green right from their driver's seat as if they were law enforcement officers on call. The purpose of the existence of such devices is for emergency access and not for the convenience for someone who wants to get home earlier from work or to dodge traffic. These devices exist and are currently in use by non-emer- gency personnel. Public safety dictates the need to make the use of such devices illegal by persons other than authorized emergency personnel. Such devices flaunt public safety concerns and could cause serious personal injury or death on New York roadways.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.