What's happening
This bill allows fire police members and their spouses to obtain special "Fire Police" license plates for their vehicles.
Why it matters
Recognizes fire police service. By allowing fire police members and their spouses to display special plates, the bill provides formal recognition and visibility for the unique role fire police play in public safety, which may foster greater respect and awareness among the public.
Extends benefits to spouses. The inclusion of spouses acknowledges the broader impact of fire police service on families, possibly strengthening recruitment and retention by adding a tangible, visible benefit tied to their role.
Cost-recovery safeguard. The bill ensures that the issuance of these plates is fiscally responsible, requiring that the program only proceeds if the one-time $10 service charges are expected to cover the state’s costs for design and production, thus avoiding new burdens on taxpayers.
Administrative clarity and controls. The bill sets clear criteria for eligibility and application, giving the DMV commissioner discretion to require satisfactory proof of fire police status, which helps prevent misuse and ensures the plates go only to those entitled.
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Who cares
Fire police members
The bill would authorize plates bearing “Fire Police” upon proof of membership, with a $10 one-time service charge in addition to regular registration fees.
Spouses of fire police members
Spouses could request the plates based on their partner’s membership, but could not receive one if the member already has one under this provision.
Department of Motor Vehicles
The commissioner would set application and proof requirements and would not be required to issue the plates unless satisfied that service-charge revenue would cover design and manufacturing costs.
Headline styles
Create Fire Police Plates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
132
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. ANGELINO, BRABENEC, K. BROWN, DeSTEFANO, DURSO, LEMONDES, MANKTELOW, McDONOUGH, MILLER, MORINELLO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the issuance of distinctive plates for fire police
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 404-ff to read as follows:
§ 404-ff. Distinctive plates for fire police. 1. Any person who is a member of the fire police or the spouse of any such person shall, upon request, be issued a license plate bearing the words "Fire Police". If a distinctive plate is issued to a person pursuant to this section, such a distinctive plate shall not be issued to the spouse of such person. Application for said license plate shall be filed with the commissioner in such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe.
2. The distinctive plate authorized in subdivision one of this section shall be issued upon proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the applicant or the spouse of the applicant is a member of the fire police.
3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article provided, however, that an additional one time service charge of ten dollars shall be charged for such plate.
4. Nothing contained herein shall require the issuance of a special number plate under this section unless the commissioner is satisfied that the aggregate amount of annual service charges collected pursuant to subdivision three of this section will be sufficient to recover the costs of the design and manufacture of such special plates.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01141-01-5
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.