BILL NUMBER: S1371
SPONSOR: BRESLIN
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the transportation law, in relation to requiring the
department of transportation to provide information regarding federal
safety fitness standards for certain motor carriers
 
PURPOSE:
This legislation will provide access to the most up to date and relevant
safety information regarding safe limo rides by conforming the Depart-
ment of Transportation's website information with the safety and fitness
standards established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
in the Code of Federal Regulations (SAFER website). Additionally, this
legislation will allow for a review of prior years' annual safety
reports to assess New York's limo safety laws and adjust or improve laws
as needed.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one: This legislation amends the Transportation Law to clarify
that the State's Safe Limo website shall be updated to include any addi-
tional publicly available information in accordance with the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration's SAFER website, which provides
updated data on safety fitness standards and performance regarding bus
operators and motor carriers (which includes stretch limousines and
other vehicles that carry passengers for hire).
Section two: This legislation also amends the Transportation Law to
include a comparison of the annual safety report looking back to the
previous three years of report data.
 
EXISTING LAW:
None.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The legislation implements this recommendation from the Stretch Limou-
sine Passenger Safety Task Force, which was established in Chapter 3 of
the Laws of 2020 to study a host of safety improvements for stretch
limousines. The Task Force was created in the wake of deadly crashes in
Schoharie and Cutchogue, NY.
Stretch limousines are the vehicle of choice for celebratory 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. Conforming the New York State Safe Limo website
with the federal standards will allow for greater access to important
safety information for New Yorkers. Adding a comparison of the previous
three annual reports will help provide data on what impact New York's
laws are having in protecting passengers.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.
Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule
or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effec-
tive date.

Statutes affected:
S1371: 138 transportation law, 138(9) transportation law