What's happening
This bill increases penalties for repeated red light camera violations, notifies insurers after five offenses, and suspends registration after six within two years.
Why it matters
Escalating fines for repeat offenses. mean that drivers who repeatedly run red lights will face much higher financial penalties, potentially creating a stronger deterrent effect and greater financial consequences for persistent violators.
Mandatory insurer notification. after five violations within two years could lead to increased insurance premiums or even policy cancellations for repeat offenders, making the financial impact extend beyond just ticket costs.
Automatic 90-day vehicle registration suspension. after six violations within two years dramatically raises the stakes for chronic offenders, as it effectively removes their legal ability to drive that vehicle for three months, which could impact commuting, work, and daily life.
Advance warning to vehicle owners. before insurer notification and registration suspension creates a clear escalation path, giving offenders a formal chance to change their behavior before facing the most severe consequences, and making the process more transparent and fair.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Increase Repeat Red Light Fines
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- 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.
Increase Fines for Repeat Violators
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Robert C. Carroll
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
466
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to implementing escalating penalties for vehicles which have been documented multiple times by a photo violation monitoring device for failure to comply with traffic-control indications
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (e) of section 1111-a of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 479 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
(e) 1. An owner liable for a violation of subdivision (d) of section eleven hundred eleven of this article pursuant to a local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall be liable for monetary penalties in accordance with a schedule of fines and penalties to be set forth in such local law or ordinance, except that in a city which, by local law, has authorized the adjudication of such owner liability by a parking violations bureau, such schedule shall be promulgated by such bureau. The liability of the owner pursuant to this section shall not exceed fifty dollars for [each violation] the first two violations within a two year period, one hundred fifty dollars for the third violation within a two year period, two hundred fifty dollars for the fourth violation within a two year period, three hundred dollars for the fifth violation within a two year period, and three hundred fifty dollars for the sixth violation within a two year period; provided, however, that such local law or ordinance may provide for an additional penalty not in excess of twenty-five dollars for each violation for the failure to respond to a notice of liability within the prescribed time period.
2. (i) The company by which a vehicle has been documented five times within a two year period by a photo violation monitoring device for
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01955-01-5
failure of an operator thereof to comply with traffic-control indications is insured shall be informed of all such documented violations over the past two years.
(ii) The registration of a vehicle which has been documented six times within a twenty-four month period by a photo violation monitoring device for failure of an operator thereof to comply with traffic-control indications shall be suspended for a period of ninety days commencing ten days after the notice of liability for the sixth violation has been mailed.
(iii) This paragraph shall not apply to a rental vehicle, as defined in section one hundred thirty-seven-a of this chapter.
3. The department shall, by certified mail, alert the owner of a registered vehicle after the vehicle's fourth documentation in two years by a photo violation monitoring device for failure of an operator thereof to comply with traffic-control indications that the company by which such vehicle is insured will be informed of all such violations over the past two years and such vehicle shall be suspended for ninety days after two more documentations.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, the amendments made to subdivision (e) of section 1111-a of the vehicle and traffic law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
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 implementing escalating penalties for vehicles which have been documented multiple times by a photo violation monitoring device for failure to comply with traffic-control indications
Purpose
To implement a system of escalating penalties for vehicles that are documented by a photo violation monitoring device for failure to comply with traffic control indications. This bill is meant to deter drivers from committing repeated traffic control indication violations through an escalating fine structure which after six violations over a two year period would require for the registration on the car to be suspended for ninety days.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1. Subdivision (e) of section 1111-a of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 479 of the laws of 1994, is amended to include that the first two photo violations within a two year period will be fined fifty dollars each, one hundred fifty for the third violation, two hundred fifty for the fourth violation, three hundred dollars for the fifth violation and three hundred fifty dollars for the sixth violation within a two year period.
2. (i) The insurance company for which the vehicle is insured shall be notified about. the vehicle has been documented five times within a two year period by a photo violation monitoring device.
(ii) The vehicle's registration, after being documented six times over a two year period by a photo violation monitoring device for failure of an operator thereof to comply with traffic-control indications shall be suspended for a period of ninety days.
(iii) Does not apply to rental vehicles
3. By certified mail, the Department of Motor. Vehicles shall notify the owner of registered vehicles after the vehicle's fourth documentation in two years by a photo violation monitoring device for failure to comply with traffic-control indications that after two more documented violations, the registration of the vehicle shall be suspended for nine- ty days.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately
Justification
On March 5th 2018, a motorist ran through a red light into a crowded sidewalk and killed two young children. The driver of the vehicle had accumulated eight documented photo violations for failure to comply with traffic-control indications over an 8 month period. If this bill were law, the registration on her car would have been suspended; she would have been unable to drive that car legally and may therefore have not been behind the wheel that day and not been able to kill those two chil- dren. This bill, through its escalating fine structure, insurance reporting, and ultimate vehicle registration suspension is meant to deter drivers from speeding and behaving recklessly while operating a motor vehicle.
Legislative history
S.1652 of 2023-2024 (Hoylman-Sigal): Died in Transportation
A.698 of 2023-2024 (Carroll): Died in Transportation
S.8915 of 2021-2022 (Hoylman): Died in Transportation
A.0933 of 2021-2022 (Carroll): Died in Transportation
A.10258 from 2017-18 A.3413 from 2019-20
Fiscal implications
Undetermined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.