BILL NUMBER: S9527
SPONSOR: WEBB
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to adjudi-
cations and owner liability for a violation of traffic-control signal
indications in the city of Ithaca; to amend the public officers law, in
relation to accessing records; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon expiration thereof
 
PURPOSE:
To authorize the City of Ithaca to establish a red light camera demon-
stration program.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends the Vehicle And Traffic Law by adding a new
section 1111-j to authorize the City of Ithaca to establish a red light
camera demonstration program for up to 12 intersections. The cameras
shall not capture images that identify the driver or the contents of the
vehicle. The owner of the vehicle shall be liable for a violation, and
the bill establishes the applicable penalty.
Section 2 of the bill amends subdivision 2 of § 87 of the Public Offi-
cers Law by adding a new paragraph to include records generated pursuant
to section 1111-j, including microphotographs, photographs, videotapes,
and other recorded images.
Section 3 of the bill provides that the purchase or lease of equipment
for the demonstration program is authorized and shall be subject to the
provisions of § 103 of the General Municipal Law, including requirements
relating to bidding, contracts, and prohibitions on collusive practices.
Section 4 of the bill establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The City of Ithaca faces urgent challenges in traffic safety, with
pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists at continued risk of serious injury
or death at high-volume intersections. Its City Council has adopted
multiple reports and policy frameworks that emphasize the need for data-
driven, equity-minded, and community-trusted approaches to public safe-
ty, including the City of Ithaca Public Safety Reform Report (2021),
which calls for alternative enforcement strategies and technology-based
interventions to reduce reliance on direct police traffic stops.
The City is committed to deploying tools that enhance roadway safety
while advancing equity and accountability, provided that automated
enforcement programs are narrowly tailored, privacy-protective, and
subject to public oversight. It is the sense of the Ithaca City Council
that traffic stops can pose risks to both residents and officers, where-
as alternative enforcement mechanisms, such as automated cameras, can
reduce unnecessary encounters while still upholding roadway safety.
The State has previously authorized red light camera demonstration
programs in other municipalities, including New York City, Nassau Coun-
ty, Suffolk County, and the City of Yonkers, as codified in Vehicle and
Traffic Law § 1111-a et seq. Such legislation includes a $50 penalty, no
license points, and due process protections. This bill would authorize a
red light camera demonstration program in the City of Ithaca, as
requested by the City.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
N/A
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the 30th day after it shall have become
law and shall expire on December 1, 2030.

Statutes affected:
S9527: 87 public officers law, 87(2) public officers law