BILL NUMBER: S4942
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to permitting
only one traffic infraction per traffic stop for having tinted windows
on a motor vehicle
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To protect motorists from the capricious, punitive and harassing prac-
tice of issuing multiple tickets for a single traffic stop concerning
tinted windows
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Subdivision 12-a of Section 375 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law is
amended to permit the issuance of one traffic infraction per stop for
tinted windows.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, an individual pulled over by law enforcement under suspicion
of having tinted windows that allow for less than 70% light transmit-
tance can be issued as many tickets as the car has windows. That means
one stop alone could yield several tickets and hundreds or thousands of
dollars in fines. In addition, the latitude afforded to law enforcement
in terms of stops for tinted windows is overbroad and can potentially be
abused and misused, including for the purposes of racial profiling and a
new form of stop, question & frisk. The legislation preserves the.right
of law enforcement to enforce the tinted windows law, but requires a
more just outcome.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S8193 Comrie/ A9738 Steck
S5833 2022
S 7958 COMRIE Same as A 10127 Blake
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S4942: 375 vehicle and traffic law, 375(12-a) vehicle and traffic law