What's happening
This bill creates a six-month cashless toll amnesty program for Triborough Bridge Authority users and requires MTA to post its fee waiver policy online.
Why it matters
The amnesty program aims to help drivers who have accumulated cashless toll violations by allowing them to pay just the original tolls and have related violation fees waived for six months. This could provide significant financial relief to people who may have been unable to pay mounting fines that accrue quickly with cashless tolling systems.
Caps are set on how much the Triborough Bridge Authority can charge in violation fees during the amnesty period. , potentially protecting drivers from disproportionately high penalties. For 90 days, the maximum violation fee is capped at twice the toll amount; for the next 90 days, it is capped at three times the toll, which is a substantial reduction from some previously reported penalty structures.
Making the MTA’s fee waiver policy publicly available online increases transparency and accountability. This can empower the public to understand their options for contesting or reducing fees, and may help ensure fairer, more consistent treatment of toll violations and fee waivers.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Forgive Cashless Toll Fines
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
History
- Referred to transportation
- Print number 2777a
- Amend and recommit 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.
Erase Cashless Toll Penalties
In Assembly Committee · Corporations, Authorities And Commissions · Sponsor Stacey Pheffer Amato
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2777--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 29, 2019
Introduced by Sens. COMRIE, ADDABBO, BAILEY, BROOKS, CARLUCCI, FELDER, PERSAUD, SANDERS, SEPULVEDA, STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring the triborough bridge authority to establish a cashless tolling amnesty program and requiring the metropolitan transportation authority to post their fee waiver policy on their website; 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. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 553-l to read as follows:
§ 553-l. Cashless tolling amnesty program. 1. Notwithstanding subdivision five of section five hundred fifty-three of this title or any other law, the authority shall provide an amnesty program for any person, firm, corporation, or other entity charged with the payment of a cashless toll fee for the use of any bridge or tunnel operated by the authority.
2. Such amnesty program shall allow any person, firm, corporation, or other entity charged with the payment of a cashless toll fee for the use of any bridge or tunnel operated by the authority to pay such tolls in full and to have any toll violation fees related to such paid tolls waived for a period of six months from the effective date of this section.
3. Notwithstanding subdivision five of section five hundred fiftythree of this title or any other law, any cashless toll violation fee charged to any person, firm, corporation, or other entity for the use of any bridge or tunnel operated by the authority shall not exceed twice the amount of the toll charged for using such bridge or tunnel for a
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02912-04-9
S. 2777--A 2
period of ninety days from the effective date of this section and shall not exceed three times the amount of the toll charged for using such bridge or tunnel for an additional ninety day period following the initial ninety day period.
§ 2. Section 1266 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a new subdivision 3-b to read as follows:
3-b. The authority shall conspicuously post on its website the most current version of its fee waiver policy.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the provisions of section one of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed one hundred eighty days after the effective date of this act. Any rights or remedies granted to an individual pursuant to this act prior to the expiration and repeal of section one of this act shall not be affected by such expiration.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring the triborough bridge authority to establish a cashless tolling amnesty program and requiring the metropolitan trans- portation authority to post their fee waiver policy on their website; and providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon expiration ther- eof
Purpose
To provide sensible, rational, consumer-friendly relief and reform to the MTA's Cashless Tolling System by (1) Enacting toll amnesty for a period of six months; (2) Providing for public disclosure of the current MTA Fee Waiver Policy; and (3) Capping fees for toll charges at no more than twice the original toll charge for the first three months and no more than three times the original toll charge for fees in the four to six month range.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the Public Authorities Law (Subsection 553-j) to provide for a six-month amnesty program concerning all fees assessed on MTA Bridges and Tunnels since the inception of the Cashless Tolling program.
In addition, Section 1 provides for a capping of fees, as follows: For the first 90 days after the original toll charge, fees shall not be more than double the original charge; from days 91-180 fees shall not be more than triple the original toll charge.
Section 2 requires the MTA to conspicuously post their Fee Waiver Policy on their website.
Section 3 provides that this act shall take effect immediately and provides for the repeal of the amnesty provisions in Section 1 after 180 days.
Justification
Cashless Tolling-which exists on all MTA Bridges and Tunnels-is merito- rious to the extent it is designed to ease traffic flow and make payment of tolls more convenient for motorists; however, implementation of the program has revealed a number of glaring challenges that require our collective attention and planning for remediation.
Many residents in New York City and across the State are receiving exor- bitant bills from the MTA for toll charges that are defined as overdue and carry $100 fees per original charge. After less than 3 months past due, residents are receiving fines as high as $100.00 for a toll as small as $8.50. It is not uncommon for drivers to receive bills for a handful of trips that have now multiplied into thousands of dollars in fiduciary obligations. While it is no doubt important that the MTA discourage late payment of toll obligations, and collect toll revenue to keep the system operating efficiently, the current system features fees that are extraordinarily excessive; a fee waiver policy that is unavail- able for the public to understand and other features that are simply not pro-consumer. This legislation will: (1) Enact toll amnesty for a period of six months; (2) Provide for public disclosure of the current MTA Fee Waiver Policy; and (3) Cap fees for toll charges at no more than twice the original toll charge for the first three months and no more than three times the original toll charge for fees in the four to six month range.
Legislative history
S 7823 COMRIE Same as A10005 Pheffer Amato
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This law will take effect immediately; the toll amnesty program will repeal after 180 days, with the rights and remedies granted by the act before expiration to remain unaffected by such expiration.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.