What's happening
This bill creates a task force to review and recommend measures to improve stretch limousine passenger safety in New York.
Why it matters
The task force will review coordination and information-sharing between key state agencies. (Department of Motor Vehicles and Department of Transportation), aiming to close gaps in oversight and potentially use technology (apps, hotlines, websites) for real-time safety and compliance data.
Driver preparedness is a focus, with possible new uniform safety training and demonstration requirements. for limousine drivers—including passenger education on seatbelt use and other safety protocols, aiming to reduce risk and improve outcomes in emergencies.
The group will consider stricter regulations for vehicle standards and driver eligibility. , such as limiting the operational lifespan or mileage of stretch limousines, extending bus-driver-like requirements to limo drivers, and possibly raising the minimum driver age.
Recommendations may include mandating advanced safety features and state-run crash testing. for stretch limousines, addressing gaps in federal regulation, and potentially setting new standards for vehicle design (like anti-intrusion bars, rollover protection, rear exits, and speed limiters), which could significantly change industry practices and passenger safety.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Limo Safety Task Force
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
History
- Substituted by A1316C
- Ordered to third reading cal.78
- Reported and committed to rules
- Print number 6189c
- Amend and recommit to transportation
- Print number 6189b
- Amend (t) and recommit to transportation
- Referred to transportation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
Show 6 earlier actions
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- Amended 6189a
- 1st report cal.1087
- 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.
Study Limo Passenger Safety
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6189--C
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 21, 2019
Introduced by Sens. KAPLAN, BRESLIN, CARLUCCI, KENNEDY, LIU, PARKER, SEWARD, TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first report,… Show allHide
Introduced by Sens. KAPLAN, BRESLIN, CARLUCCI, KENNEDY, LIU, PARKER, SEWARD, TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first report, amended on first report, ordered to a second report and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of second report -- recommitted to the Committee on Transportation in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to establish the stretch limousine passenger safety task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Stretch limousine passenger safety task force. 1. There is hereby created the "stretch limousine passenger safety task force", hereinafter referred to as the "task force", to conduct a comprehensive review of matters influencing the safety, adequacy, efficiency, and reliability of stretch limousine transportation of passengers for compensation.
2. Such task force shall consist of eleven members which shall include the commissioner of motor vehicles or his or her designee, the commissioner of transportation or his or her designee, the superintendent of the New York state police or his or her designee, and eight other members to be appointed by the governor as follows: two upon the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate, two upon the recommendation of the speaker of the assembly, one upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate, one upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the assembly and two without recommendation from any other person.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11953-04-0
S. 6189--C 2
3. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation. Any vacancies on the task force shall be filled in the manner provided for in the initial appointment.
4. The commissioner of transportation and the commissioner of motor vehicles shall serve as joint chairs of the task force.
5. The task force shall be authorized to hold public hearings and meetings, and to consult with any organization, educational institution, or other government entity or person, to enable it to accomplish its duties. The task force shall hold at least one public hearing in the state for the purpose of soliciting public comment on stretch limousine safety.
6. To effectuate the purposes of this act, the task force may request and shall receive from any department, division, board, bureau, commission or other agency of the state or any state public authority such assistance, information and data as will enable the task force to properly carry out its powers and duties hereunder.
7. The task force shall undertake a review of the actions and measures that are needed to ensure safe, adequate, efficient and reliable forhire passenger transportation by stretch limousine and make recommendations regarding:
a. enhanced coordination between the department of motor vehicles and the department of transportation regarding the regulation of stretch limousines, including an examination into how the department of transportation and department of motor vehicles can share necessary information related to stretch limousines and their operators including, but not limited to, inspection status, registration status, operating certificate or permit status, and relevant traffic or criminal convictions, in real time, and regarding the best uses for a smartphone application, website, or hotline;
b. the establishment and adoption of a uniform safety training program for drivers of stretch limousines, including a component to train such drivers to conduct a safety demonstration with passengers instructing them on the use of seatbelts and any other relevant safety measures that may be deemed useful;
c. the appropriateness of extending vehicle and traffic law requirements and regulations that currently apply to bus drivers under article 19-A of such law to drivers of stretch limousines;
d. the appropriateness of establishing a limit on the maximum allowable time frame for stretch limousines to be permitted to operate on roadways within the state, such as a possible limit of ten years or 350,000 miles;
e. a review of federal laws and rules as they relate to the regulation of stretch limousines, including but not limited to, identification of the subject areas specifically regulated by federal laws and rules, whether and to what extent federal laws and rules preempt state action with respect to the regulation of stretch limousines, and areas of stretch limousine regulation which are subject to oversight by the states; and
f. the need for additional safety measures for stretch limousines, including, but not limited to, increasing the minimum age for drivers to obtain a license to operate stretch limousines; the installation of safety features in such vehicles such as multiple anti-intrusion bars in side panels, roll-over protection devices such as cages or pillars, rear emergency exits including push-out windows, rear view cameras, airbags, carbon monoxide monitors, and speed restriction or governing devices to limit top vehicle speeds; appropriate notice or signage for customers
S. 6189--C 3
and passengers; and the feasibility and necessity of having New York state run crash testing for stretch limousines.
8. The task force shall, on or before November 1, 2021, issue a final report and recommendations to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly.
9. For the purposes of this act, the term "stretch limousine" shall mean any motor vehicle with a chassis which was altered post-manufacture and having a seating capacity of nine or more passengers, including the driver, used in the business of transporting passengers for compensation.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law and shall expire and be deemed repealed May 31, 2022.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to establish the stretch limousine passenger safety task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
Purpose or general idea of bill
To create a Passenger Safety Task Force to study issues related to safe- ty for passengers transported by stretch limousines.
Summary of provisions
This legislation creates a Stretch Limousine Passenger Safety Task Force. The task force consists of 11 members, with the Commissioners of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and the New York State Department of Transportation serving as co-chairs, along with represen- tatives from the State Police, and various Legislative and Executive recommendations.
Read the full memo (671 words)
The task force shall undertake a review of the actions and measures that are needed to ensure safe, adequate, efficient and reliable passenger transportation by stretch limousine. The task force shall make recommen- dations regarding: (a) the promotion of enhanced coordination and uniformity between the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding the regulation of stretch limousines;
(b) the establishment and adoption of a uniform safety training program for drivers; (c) the appropriateness of extending federal regulations that currently apply to bus drivers to stretch limousines; (d) reviewing areas of federal preemption and where states have oversight roles; (e) establishing a limit on the maximum allowable time frame for stretch limousines to be permitted to operate on state roadways; (f) the need for additional safety measures, including studying increasing the mini- mum age for drivers to obtain a license to operate stretch limousines traffic safety measures, mandating installation of safety features like multiple anti-intrusion bars in side panels, roll-over protection devices, emergency exits, carbon monoxide monitors, rear view cameras, providing appropriate signage for customers, and the feasibility of a New York State crash testing program.
The task force is directed to convene at least one public forum and issue its final report by November 1, 2021.
Section two provides the effective date.
Justification
Stretch limousines are the vehicle of choice for many happy occasions, from family events, to birthdays, to weddings, to the annual ritual of prom. But they also present unique challenges that implicate the safety of drivers and passengers alike.
As with any area where multiple state agencies must collaborate, period- ic review of inter-agency and external communication is critical to ensure passenger safety. Additionally, the current set of regulations does not reflect the ever-changing array of safety features available to other motor vehicles that may be practically deployed in a stretch limousine. Finally, there are a number of questions that are specific to stretch limousines, such as whether there is an upper limit that ought to be established in terms of how long or for how many miles such a vehicle ought to be allowed to operate on the state's roadways.
The need for this review was underscored by the tragic July 2015 limou- sine crash in Cutchogue, New York that killed four people and injured four others. It was further reinforced by the final report and recommen- dations of the Suffolk County Supreme Court Special Grand Jury, which was impaneled to investigate that Cutchogue crash and suggested a number of improvements in passenger safety and regulation that ought to be made at the state and county level. It has been prompted anew in the wake of another, even deadlier crash in Schoharie, NY.
The legislation implements this recommendation from the Special Grand Jury report by creating a task force to study a host of safety improve- ments for stretch limousines. The task force would be convened and co-chaired by the designee of the Commissioner of the NYS Department of Transportation and the Commissioner of the NYS Department of Motor Vehi- cles. Since law enforcement will be required to enforce any changes, the State Police would also be represented.
Prior legislative history
2019: Similar bill (5.6189-A) passed Senate without objection.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
30 days after being signed into law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.