Enacts "Brendon's law" to prohibit participation, including spectators within two hundred feet, of any motor vehicle speed contest, sideshow and street takeovers; authorizes seizure and forfeiture.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6986
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 18, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GIGLIO -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to motor vehi-
cle speed contests, sideshows and street takeovers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Brendon's
2 law".
3 § 2. Section 1182 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chap-
4 ter 594 of the laws of 1987, subdivisions 1 and 2 as amended by section
5 9 of part C of chapter 62 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as
6 follows:
7 § 1182. Speed contests and races. 1. (a) Except as provided in section
8 eleven hundred eighty-two-a of this article or section sixteen hundred
9 thirty, sixteen hundred forty, sixteen hundred forty-two or sixteen
10 hundred sixty of this chapter, no races, exhibitions or contests of
11 speed shall be held and no person shall engage [in or aid or abet] or
12 participate in any motor vehicle or other speed contest or exhibition of
13 speed on a highway. "Participate in" shall mean to organize, facilitate,
14 promote, take or have a part or share in, partake in, share in, take
15 part in, indulge in, contribute to, engage in, concur in, be a party to,
16 compete in, undertake, or participate in profits to a speed contest or
17 race. For the purposes of this section "participate in" shall also
18 include wagering on the outcome of a speed contest or race; making an
19 invitation to race; acting as a starter or flag person; pushing or posi-
20 tioning a motor vehicle to a starting line; operating, riding in, or
21 positioning a motor vehicle for the purpose of engaging in, facilitat-
22 ing, continuing, or establishing a boundary area for a race; and direct-
23 ing persons or motor vehicles for the purposes of engaging in, facili-
24 tating, or continuing a race.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09419-02-5
A. 6986 2
1 (b) No person shall knowingly be present as a spectator within two
2 hundred feet of any speed contest or race. A "spectator" shall mean any
3 person who is knowingly present at a speed contest or race for the
4 purpose of viewing, observing, watching, or witnessing the event as it
5 progresses.
6 (c) Such event, if held, shall be fully and efficiently patrolled for
7 the entire distance over which such race, exhibition or contest for
8 speed is to be held. Participants in a race, exhibition or contest of
9 speed are exempted from compliance with any traffic laws otherwise
10 applicable thereto, but shall exercise reasonable care.
11 2. (a) A violation of any of the provisions of this section shall
12 constitute a misdemeanor and be punishable by imprisonment of not more
13 than thirty days or a fine of not [less] more than [three] six hundred
14 dollars [nor more than five hundred twenty-five dollars], or both such
15 fine and imprisonment.
16 [2. A second conviction within twelve months of a violation of this
17 section shall be punishable by imprisonment of not more than six months
18 or a fine of not less than five hundred twenty-five dollars nor more
19 than seven hundred fifty dollars, or both such fine and imprisonment]
20 (b) A second or subsequent violation committed within ten years shall be
21 punishable upon conviction by imprisonment of not more than one year or
22 a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or both such fine and
23 imprisonment. In addition, the vehicle or vehicles involved in a
24 violation of this section shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture
25 which actions shall be governed by the procedures enumerated in article
26 thirteen-A of the civil practice law and rules. A noncriminal defendant
27 must take all prudent steps to prevent the illegal use of their vehicle,
28 and willful disregard by the owner or lienholder of the acts giving rise
29 to forfeiture shall not constitute a defense to such forfeiture.
30 § 3. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
31 1212-a to read as follows:
32 § 1212-a. Sideshows and street takeovers. 1. (a) No person shall
33 organize, facilitate, promote, take or have a part or share in, partake
34 in, share in, take part in, indulge in, contribute to, engage in, concur
35 in, be a party to, compete in, undertake, or participate in profits to a
36 sideshow or street takeover on any public highway, public sidewalk,
37 parking lot, public property, or private property open to the public.
38 For the purposes of this section "participate in" shall also include
39 wagering on the outcome of a sideshow or street takeover; making an
40 invitation to a street takeover or sideshow; acting as a starter or flag
41 person; pushing or positioning a motor vehicle to a starting line; oper-
42 ating, riding in, or positioning a motor vehicle for the purpose of
43 engaging in, facilitating, continuing, or establishing a boundary area
44 for a sideshow or street takeover; and directing persons or motor vehi-
45 cles for the purposes of engaging in, facilitating, or continuing a
46 sideshow or street takeover.
47 (b) No person shall knowingly be present as a spectator within two
48 hundred feet of any sideshow or street takeover. "Spectator" shall mean
49 any person who is knowingly present at a sideshow or street takeover for
50 the purpose of viewing, observing, watching, or witnessing the sideshow
51 or street takeover event as it progresses.
52 2. For the purpose of this section:
53 (a) "sideshow" shall mean and include events in which one or more
54 motor vehicle operator perform maneuvers or stunts for entertainment or
55 competition purposes, including burnouts, power slides, donuts, whee-
A. 6986 3
1 lies, drifting, the making of excessive loud engine noises, revving,
2 and/or the use of illegal loud noise mufflers.
3 (b) "street takeover" shall mean blocking or impeding the regular flow
4 of traffic or pedestrians through all or a portion of a highway, parking
5 lot, or public place, including private property open to the public, for
6 the purposes of a sideshow or engaging in stunt behavior.
7 (c) "stunt behavior" shall mean to perform burnouts, donuts, drifting,
8 revving, wheelies and similar maneuvers.
9 3. A violation of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor and be
10 punishable by imprisonment of not more than six months or a fine of not
11 more than six hundred dollars, or both such fine and imprisonment. A
12 second or subsequent violation committed within ten years shall be
13 punishable upon conviction by imprisonment of not more than one year or
14 a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or both such fine and
15 imprisonment. In addition, the vehicle or vehicles involved in a
16 violation of this section shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture
17 which actions shall be governed by the procedures enumerated in article
18 thirteen-A of the civil practice law and rules. A noncriminal defendant
19 must take all prudent steps to prevent the illegal use of their vehicle,
20 and willful disregard by the owner or lienholder of the acts giving rise
21 to forfeiture shall not constitute a defense to such forfeiture.
22 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
