NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A7798C
SPONSOR: Glick
 
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to photo speed violation monitoring systems in school speed
zones in the city of New York; to amend chapter 43 of the laws of 2014,
amending the vehicle and traffic law, the public officers law and the
general municipal law relating to photo speed violation monitoring
systems in school speed zones in the city of New York, in relation to
making technical corrections thereto; and to amend chapter 189 of the
laws of 2013, amending the vehicle and traffic law and the public offi-
cers law relating to establishing in a city with a population of one
million or more a demonstration program implementing speed violation
monitoring systems in school speed zones by means of photo devices, in
relation to the effectiveness thereof
 
PURPOSE:
Expands the photo speed violation monitoring systems program for school
speed zones in the city of New York
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 1180-b of the
vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 43 of the laws of 2014 to
expand the use of speed cameras to 290 school zones within the City of
New York.
Section 2 amends paragraph 2 of subdivision (a) of section 1180-b of the
vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 189 of the laws of 2013, by
mandating that the City shall install signs giving notice that a speed
camera is in use within 300 feet of such camera. This section also
requires the installation of signage notifying drivers of the use of
speed cameras within a designated school speed zone.
Section 3 amends paragraph 4 of subdivision (c) of section 1180-b of the
vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 189 of the laws of 2013, by
defining a "school speed zone" as being a radial distance not to exceed
one thousand three hundred twenty feet from a school building, entrance
or exit.
Section 4 sets forth a reporting requirement.
Section 5 amends the opening paragraph of section 12 of chapter 43 of
the laws of 2014, amending the vehicle and traffic law, the public offi-
cers law and the general municipal law by making technical amendments
regarding the expiration of sections one through ten of this act.
Section 6 makes technical amendments relative to the new sunset date of
July 1, 2022.
Section 7 sets forth a timeline for the addition of one hundred fifty
new school speed zones, as authorized by section 1 of this legislation.
Section 8 sets the effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Speeding motorists continue to put schoolchildren in unnecessary danger
in New York City. The New York City Department of Transportation reports
that the risk of pedestrian death from being struck by a speeding vehi-
cle increases from 5% at a speed of 20 miles per hour to 45% at a speed
of 30 miles per hour, a 900% increase.
Chapter 189 of the Laws of 2013 established a five year demonstration
program to allow a small amount of speed safety cameras to be used near
schools in New York City at certain hours of the day. The data from this
demonstration program speaks for itself. The New York City Department of
Transportation reports that there has been a 60% drop in speeding
infractions in locations where speed safety cameras have been installed.
Furthermore, speed safety cameras were able to issue over 1 million
infractions to motorists who were speeding near schools. Currently, only
7% of New York City school children go to a school with a speed safety
camera nearby. It is time to expand this program so that more schools
can benefit from the enhanced safety that is associated with having
speed safety cameras nearby.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPACT:
TBD.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amendments to
section 1180-b of the vehicle and traffic law made by sections one, two,
three, and four of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section
and shall be deemed repealed therewith; and provided further that the
amendments to paragraph 2 of subdivision (a) of section 1180-b of the
vehicle and traffic law made by section two of this act shall take
effect on the ninetieth day after this act shall have become a law.