Increases the penalties for overtaking and passing a school bus; provides that for the first conviction a person shall be punished by a fine of not less than $350 nor more than $500; provides that for a second conviction a person shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $800; also provides that for a third conviction a person shall be punished by a fine of not less than $800 nor more than $1000.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3492
SPONSOR: Dilan TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to increasing
the penalties for passing a school bus with its red lights illuminated
indicating that it is picking up or discharging students
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Increases the penalties for passing a school bus with its red lights
illuminated indicating that it is picking up or discharging students.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This legislation would amend subdivision (c) of section 1174 of the
Vehicle and Traffic Law by increasing the fine amounts associated with
passing a stopped school bus with its red lights illuminated.
JUSTIFICATION:
Overtaking a school bus exacts a heightened and unconscionable threat to
the lives of millions of New York children who ride the bus each day.
New York State needs to set a precedent of zero tolerance for such law
breakers and ensure that our children's safety is put at the forefront
of our state's agenda. Overtaking a school bus place many vulnerable
lives at risk, and those who break this law should be stopped and
punished in way that reflects the severity of the crime.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3492
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. DILAN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to increasing
the penalties for passing a school bus with its red lights illuminated
indicating that it is picking up or discharging students
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision (c) of section 1174 of the vehicle and traffic
2 law, as amended by chapter 433 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read
3 as follows:
4 (c) Every person convicted of a violation of subdivision (a) of this
5 section shall: for a first conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of
6 not less than [two] three hundred fifty dollars nor more than [four]
7 five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days or
8 by both such fine and imprisonment; for a conviction of a second
9 violation, both of which were committed within a period of three years,
10 such person shall be punished by a fine of not less than [six] five
11 hundred dollars nor more than [seven hundred fifty] eight hundred
12 dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one hundred eighty days or
13 by both such fine and imprisonment; upon a conviction of a third or
14 subsequent violation, all of which were committed within a period of
15 three years, such person shall be punished by a fine of not less than
16 [seven hundred fifty] eight hundred dollars nor more than one thousand
17 five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one hundred
18 eighty days or by both such fine and imprisonment.
19 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
20 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07458-01-5
