What's happening
This bill limits idling of passenger vehicles to three minutes, with exceptions, and establishes penalties for violations.
Why it matters
Targets everyday vehicles, including taxis and livery vehicles, but exempts electric vehicles, focusing the law on gasoline and hybrid-powered cars that contribute to local air pollution.
Allows several exceptions—such as extreme cold, presence of children or pets, disability transport, maintenance, or traffic conditions—balancing environmental goals with practical and safety considerations for drivers.
Provides a warning for a first offense and caps subsequent penalties at $150, signaling an initial focus on public education and gradual enforcement, rather than immediate heavy fines.
Respects local authority by not overriding stricter idling laws (like those in NYC), which means some communities may still face tighter restrictions, preserving the ability for cities to address unique air quality needs.
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Who cares
Passenger-vehicle drivers
The bill would cap idling at three consecutive minutes, with a warning for a first knowing or intentional violation and a possible civil penalty of up to $150 for subsequent violations.
Taxi and livery operators
Their vehicles would be covered by the idling limit, with exceptions including uncontrollable traffic delays and compliance with passenger-temperature regulations.
Drivers transporting people with disabilities, children or pets
The bill would exempt idling needed for safe loading, unloading or transport of people with disabilities, as well as idling in vehicles containing children or pets.
New York City and other local governments
The bill would preserve local idling laws that are at least as stringent as the proposed state requirements.
Headline styles
Limit Car Idling to 3 Minutes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Advanced to third reading cal.396
- Reported
- Referred to codes
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to environmental conservation
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.
Limit Car Idling to 3 Minutes
In Senate Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Pete Harckham
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1354
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. EACHUS, COLTON, BURDICK, EPSTEIN, SIMONE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the idling time of passenger vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new section 19-0333 to read as follows: § 19-0333. Emissions from passenger vehicles; limitations.
1. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Passenger vehicle" shall mean any motor vehicle, light-duty truck with a gross vehicle weight of eighty-five hundred pounds or less, or any other vehicle whose primary use is noncommercial personal transportation. Such definition shall also include "motorcycle", "taxicab" and "livery" as such terms are defined in article one of the vehicle and traffic law and shall not include electric vehicles as defined in subdivision one of section 66-s of the public service law.
(b) "Hybrid-electric vehicle" shall mean any passenger vehicle which draws propulsion from both an internal combustion engine (or heat engine that uses combustible fuel), an energy storage device and employs a regenerative vehicle braking system that recovers waste energy to charge such energy storage device.
2. No person shall allow or permit the engine of a passenger vehicle to idle for more than three consecutive minutes when the passenger vehicle is not in motion, except that this provision shall not apply when:
(a) such vehicle is forced to remain motionless because of traffic conditions over which the operator thereof has no control;
(b) regulations adopted by a federal, state or local agency having jurisdiction require the maintenance of a specific temperature for
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00392-01-5
passenger comfort, in which case the idling time may be increased to the extent necessary to comply with such regulations;
(c) a hybrid-electric vehicle is idling for the purpose of providing energy for the battery or other form of energy storage recharging;
(d) the ambient air temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) or less;
(e) when operation of the engine is required for the purpose of maintenance;
(f) such vehicle is idling for the purpose of ensuring the safe loading, unloading, or transport of persons with one or more disabilities;
(g) such vehicle contains one or more children or pets; or
(h) such vehicle is a military tactical vehicle used in military training operations.
3. This section shall not apply to the operation of authorized emergency vehicles, as defined by section one hundred one of the vehicle and traffic law and other emergency vehicles and equipment while performing in the scope of their duties.
4. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to preempt any provision of local law, including, but not limited to section 24-163 of the administrative code of the city of New York, provided that the provisions of such local law are at least as stringent as the provisions of this section.
5. Any person who knowingly or intentionally violates any provision of this section shall, upon the first finding of such a violation, be provided with a warning that future violations may result in the imposition of a civil penalty. Any person convicted of a subsequent violation may be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars.
§ 2. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
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