Provides that the thruway authority shall issue permits for ambulances and fire vehicles exempting such vehicles from paying tolls on the thruway when engaged in an emergency operation.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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31
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
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Introduced by Sens. COMRIE, BORRELLO, MATTERA, OBERACKER, PALUMBO, ROLI-
SON, SKOUFIS, WEBER, WEIK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the issuance
of permits to exempt ambulances and fire vehicles from paying tolls on
the New York state thruway when engaged in an emergency operation
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 378-a of the public authorities
2 law, as added by chapter 23 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 1. The authority is hereby authorized and directed to [issue refunds
5 for tolls incurred by ambulances or fire vehicles engaged in an emergen-
6 cy operation, or, at the option of the authority, to] issue emergency
7 services permits for use by ambulances and fire vehicles which shall
8 provide for travel at no charge between interchanges and barriers while
9 such vehicles are engaged in an emergency operation, provided that the
10 authority is authorized and directed to issue refunds for tolls incurred
11 by such ambulances and fire vehicles engaged in an emergency operation
12 while the applicable application for emergency services permits is pend-
13 ing. The authority shall promulgate rules and regulations establishing
14 the process by which such ambulances and fire vehicles can apply for
15 emergency services permits. For purposes of this section, the term
16 "ambulance" shall have the same meaning as such term is defined by
17 section one hundred-b of the vehicle and traffic law, the term "fire
18 vehicle" shall have the same meaning as such term is defined by section
19 one hundred fifteen-a of the vehicle and traffic law, and the term
20 "emergency operation" shall have the same meaning as such term is
21 defined by section one hundred fourteen-b of the vehicle and traffic
22 law. In any rules and regulations promulgated for the implementation of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00222-01-5
S. 31 2
1 this section, the authority may establish the type of documentation or
2 other proof satisfactory to the authority that an ambulance or fire
3 vehicle was engaged in an emergency operation at the time a toll was
4 incurred.
5 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
