Authorizes the village of Southampton in the town of Southampton, county of Suffolk to establish a demonstration program imposing monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for failure of an operator thereof to comply with posted maximum speed limits.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7948--B
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 14, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. PALUMBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- commit-
tee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recom-
mitted to said committee -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the public officers law,
in relation to authorizing the village of Southampton in the town of
Southampton, county of Suffolk to establish a demonstration program
imposing monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for failure of
an operator thereof to comply with posted maximum speed limits; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
2 section 1180-h to read as follows:
3 § 1180-h. Owner liability for failure of the operator to comply with
4 certain posted maximum speed limits; village of Southampton, town of
5 Southampton, county of Suffolk. (a) 1. Notwithstanding any other
6 provision of law, the village of Southampton, in the town of Southamp-
7 ton, county of Suffolk is hereby authorized to establish a demonstration
8 program imposing monetary liability on the owner of a vehicle for fail-
9 ure of an operator thereof to comply with posted maximum speed limits on
10 any road in such village in accordance with the provisions of this
11 section. Such village, for purposes of the implementation of the demon-
12 stration program, shall operate photo speed violation monitoring systems
13 within such village at no more than five locations at any one time
14 during any year of such program. Such photo speed violation monitoring
15 systems may be stationary or mobile and shall be activated at locations
16 selected by such village. Such photo speed violation monitoring systems
17 shall be placed at locations based on criteria, including but not limit-
18 ed to whether the location is within a quarter mile of a school, speed-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13038-04-5
S. 7948--B 2
1 ing data, accident history, proximity to facilities for senior citizens
2 or disabled persons, roadway geometry and equitable geographic distrib-
3 ution.
4 2. No photo speed violation monitoring system shall be used in a
5 village authorized to establish a demonstration program pursuant to this
6 section unless (i) on the day it is to be used it has successfully
7 passed a self-test of its functions; and (ii) it has undergone an annual
8 calibration check performed pursuant to paragraph four of this subdivi-
9 sion. The village shall install signs giving notice that a photo speed
10 violation monitoring system is in use to be mounted on advance warning
11 signs notifying motor vehicle operators of such upcoming speed zone
12 and/or on speed limit signs applicable within such speed zone, in
13 conformance with standards established in the MUTCD.
14 3. Operators of photo speed violation monitoring systems shall have
15 completed training in the procedures for setting up, testing, and oper-
16 ating such systems. Each such operator shall complete and sign a daily
17 set-up log for each such system that the village operates that (i)
18 states the date and time when, and the location where, the system was
19 set up that day, and (ii) states that such operator successfully
20 performed, and the system passed, the self-tests of such system before
21 producing a recorded image that day. The village shall retain each such
22 daily log until the later of the date on which the photo speed violation
23 monitoring system to which it applies has been permanently removed from
24 use or the final resolution of all cases involving notices of liability
25 issued based on photographs, microphotographs, videotape or other
26 recorded images produced by such system.
27 4. Each photo speed violation monitoring system shall undergo an annu-
28 al calibration check performed by an independent calibration laboratory
29 which shall issue a signed certificate of calibration. The village shall
30 keep each such annual certificate of calibration on file until the final
31 resolution of all cases involving a notice of liability issued during
32 such year which were based on photographs, microphotographs, videotape
33 or other recorded images produced by such photo speed violation monitor-
34 ing system.
35 5. (i) Such demonstration programs shall utilize necessary technolo-
36 gies to ensure, to the extent practicable, that photographs, microphoto-
37 graphs, videotape or other recorded images produced by such photo speed
38 violation monitoring systems shall not include images that identify the
39 driver, the passengers, or the contents of the vehicle. Provided, howev-
40 er, that no notice of liability issued pursuant to this section shall be
41 dismissed solely because such a photograph, microphotograph, videotape
42 or other recorded image allows for the identification of the driver, the
43 passengers, or the contents of vehicles where the village shows that it
44 made reasonable efforts to comply with the provisions of this paragraph
45 in such case.
46 (ii) Photographs, microphotographs, videotape or any other recorded
47 image from a photo speed violation monitoring system shall be for the
48 exclusive use of the village for the purpose of the adjudication of
49 liability imposed pursuant to this section and of the owner receiving a
50 notice of liability pursuant to this section, and shall be destroyed by
51 the village upon the final resolution of the notice of liability to
52 which such photographs, microphotographs, videotape or other recorded
53 images relate, or one year following the date of issuance of such notice
54 of liability, whichever is later. Notwithstanding the provisions of any
55 other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, photographs, microphoto-
56 graphs, videotape or any other recorded image from a photo speed
S. 7948--B 3
1 violation monitoring system shall not be open to the public, nor subject
2 to civil or criminal process or discovery, nor used by any court or
3 administrative or adjudicatory body in any action or proceeding therein
4 except that which is necessary for the adjudication of a notice of
5 liability issued pursuant to this section, and no public entity or
6 employee, officer or agent thereof shall disclose such information,
7 except that such photographs, microphotographs, videotape or any other
8 recorded images from such systems:
9 (A) shall be available for inspection and copying and use by the motor
10 vehicle owner and operator for so long as such photographs, microphoto-
11 graphs, videotape or other recorded images are required to be maintained
12 or are maintained by such public entity, employee, officer or agent; and
13 (B) (1) shall be furnished when described in a search warrant issued
14 by a court authorized to issue such a search warrant pursuant to article
15 six hundred ninety of the criminal procedure law or a federal court
16 authorized to issue such a search warrant under federal law, where such
17 search warrant states that there is reasonable cause to believe such
18 information constitutes evidence of, or tends to demonstrate that, a
19 misdemeanor or felony offense was committed in this state or another
20 state, or that a particular person participated in the commission of a
21 misdemeanor or felony offense in this state or another state, provided,
22 however, that if such offense was against the laws of another state, the
23 court shall only issue a warrant if the conduct comprising such offense
24 would, if occurring in this state, constitute a misdemeanor or felony
25 against the laws of this state; and
26 (2) shall be furnished in response to a subpoena duces tecum signed by
27 a judge of competent jurisdiction and issued pursuant to article six
28 hundred ten of the criminal procedure law or a judge or magistrate of a
29 federal court authorized to issue such a subpoena duces tecum under
30 federal law, where the judge finds and the subpoena states that there is
31 reasonable cause to believe such information is relevant and material to
32 the prosecution, or the defense, or the investigation by an authorized
33 law enforcement official, of the alleged commission of a misdemeanor or
34 felony in this state or another state, provided, however, that if such
35 offense was against the laws of another state, such judge or magistrate
36 shall only issue such subpoena if the conduct comprising such offense
37 would, if occurring in this state, constitute a misdemeanor or felony in
38 this state; and
39 (3) may, if lawfully obtained pursuant to this clause and clause (A)
40 of this subparagraph and otherwise admissible, be used in such criminal
41 action or proceeding.
42 (b) Where the village of Southampton has established a demonstration
43 program pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section, the owner of a
44 vehicle shall be liable for a penalty imposed pursuant to this section
45 if such vehicle was used or operated with the permission of the owner,
46 express or implied, in violation of subdivision (c) or (d) of section
47 eleven hundred eighty of this article, and such violation is evidenced
48 by information obtained from a photo speed violation monitoring system;
49 provided however that no owner of a vehicle shall be liable for a penal-
50 ty imposed pursuant to this section where the operator of such vehicle
51 has been convicted of the underlying violation of subdivision (c) or (d)
52 of section eleven hundred eighty of this article.
53 (c) For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the
54 following meanings:
55 1. "manual on uniform traffic control devices" or "MUTCD" shall mean
56 the manual and specifications for a uniform system of traffic control
S. 7948--B 4
1 devices maintained by the commissioner of transportation pursuant to
2 section sixteen hundred eighty of this chapter;
3 2. "owner" shall have the meaning provided in article two-B of this
4 chapter; and
5 3. "photo speed violation monitoring system" shall mean a vehicle
6 sensor installed to work in conjunction with a speed measuring device
7 which automatically produces two or more photographs, two or more micro-
8 photographs, a videotape or other recorded images of each vehicle at the
9 time it is used or operated in a speed zone in violation of subdivision
10 (c) or (d) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article in accord-
11 ance with the provisions of this section.
12 (d) A certificate, sworn to or affirmed by a technician employed by
13 the county in which the charged violation occurred or its vendor or
14 contractor, or a facsimile thereof, based upon inspection of photo-
15 graphs, microphotographs, videotape or other recorded images produced by
16 a photo speed violation monitoring system, shall be prima facie evidence
17 of the facts contained therein. Any photographs, microphotographs, vide-
18 otape or other recorded images evidencing such a violation shall be
19 available for inspection in any proceeding to adjudicate the liability
20 for such violation pursuant to this section.
21 (e) An owner liable for a violation of subdivision (c) or (d) of
22 section eleven hundred eighty of this article pursuant to a demon-
23 stration program established pursuant to this section shall be liable
24 for monetary penalties in accordance with a schedule of fines and penal-
25 ties promulgated by the parking violations bureau of such county;
26 provided, however, that the monetary penalty for driving at a speed in
27 excess of the maximum speed limit by ten or more miles per hour and less
28 than thirty miles per hour shall not exceed fifty dollars, and the mone-
29 tary penalty for driving in excess of the maximum speed limit by thirty
30 or more miles per hour shall not exceed one hundred dollars; provided,
31 further, that an owner shall be liable for an additional penalty not to
32 exceed twenty-five dollars for each violation for the failure to respond
33 to a notice of liability within the prescribed time period. Notwith-
34 standing any inconsistent provisions of law to the contrary, all reven-
35 ues from the program established pursuant to this section shall be
36 dedicated to law enforcement purposes within the village of Southampton.
37 (f) An imposition of liability pursuant to this section shall not be
38 deemed a conviction as an operator and shall not be made part of the
39 operating record of the person upon whom such liability is imposed nor
40 shall it be used for insurance purposes in the provision of motor vehi-
41 cle insurance coverage.
42 (g) 1. A notice of liability shall be sent by first class mail to each
43 person alleged to be liable as an owner for a violation of subdivision
44 (c) or (d) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article pursuant to
45 this section, within fourteen business days if such owner is a resident
46 of this state and within forty-five business days if such owner is a
47 non-resident. Personal delivery on the owner shall not be required. A
48 manual or automatic record of mailing prepared in the ordinary course of
49 business shall be prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein.
50 2. A notice of liability shall contain the name and address of the
51 person alleged to be liable as an owner for a violation of subdivision
52 (c) or (d) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article pursuant to
53 this section, the registration number of the vehicle involved in such
54 violation, the location where such violation took place, the date and
55 time of such violation, the identification number of the camera which
56 recorded the violation or other document locator number, at least two
S. 7948--B 5
1 date and time stamped images of the rear of the motor vehicle that
2 include the same stationary object near the motor vehicle, and the
3 certificate charging the liability.
4 3. The notice of liability shall contain information advising the
5 person charged of the manner and the time in which the person may
6 contest the liability alleged in the notice. Such notice of liability
7 shall also contain a prominent warning to advise the person charged that
8 failure to contest in the manner and time provided shall be deemed an
9 admission of liability and that a default judgment may be entered there-
10 on.
11 4. The notice of liability shall be prepared and mailed by the agency
12 or agencies designated by the village authorized to implement a demon-
13 stration program pursuant to this section.
14 (h) If an owner of a vehicle receives a notice of liability pursuant
15 to this section for any time period during which such vehicle was
16 reported to the police department as having been stolen, it shall be a
17 valid defense to an allegation of liability for a violation of subdivi-
18 sion (c) or (d) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article that
19 the vehicle had been reported to the police as stolen prior to the time
20 the violation occurred and had not been recovered by such time. For
21 purposes of asserting the defense provided by this subdivision it shall
22 be sufficient that an original incident form issued by the police on the
23 stolen vehicle be sent by first class mail to the justice court of said
24 village.
25 (i) 1. An owner who is a lessor of a vehicle to which a notice of
26 liability was issued pursuant to subdivision (g) of this section shall
27 not be liable for the violation of subdivision (c) or (d) of section
28 eleven hundred eighty of this article, provided that:
29 (i) prior to the violation, the lessor has filed with such village in
30 accordance with the provisions of section two hundred thirty-nine of
31 this chapter; and
32 (ii) within thirty-seven days after receiving notice from such village
33 of the date and time of a liability, together with the other information
34 contained in the original notice of liability, the lessor submits to
35 such court the correct name and address of the lessee of the vehicle
36 identified in the notice of liability at the time of such violation,
37 together with such other additional information contained in the rental,
38 lease or other contract document, as may be reasonably required by such
39 bureau pursuant to regulations that may be promulgated for such purpose.
40 2. Failure to comply with subparagraph (ii) of paragraph one of this
41 subdivision shall render the owner liable for the penalty prescribed in
42 this section.
43 3. Where the lessor complies with the provisions of paragraph one of
44 this subdivision, the lessee of such vehicle on the date of such
45 violation shall be deemed to be the owner of such vehicle for purposes
46 of this section, shall be subject to liability for such violation pursu-
47 ant to this section and shall be sent a notice of liability pursuant to
48 subdivision (g) of this section.
49 (j) If the owner liable for a violation of subdivision (c) or (d) of
50 section eleven hundred eighty of this article pursuant to this section
51 was not the operator of the vehicle at the time of the violation, the
52 owner may maintain an action for indemnification against the operator.
53 (k) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the liability
54 of an operator of a vehicle for any violation of subdivision (c) or (d)
55 of section eleven hundred eighty of this article.
S. 7948--B 6
1 (l) Where the village of Southampton adopts a demonstration program
2 pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section, such village shall submit a
3 report on the results of the use of photo speed violation monitoring
4 systems to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the
5 speaker of the assembly on or before the first day of June next succeed-
6 ing the effective date of this section and on the same date in each
7 succeeding year in which the demonstration program is operable. Such
8 report shall include, but not be limited to:
9 1. a description of the locations where photo speed violation monitor-
10 ing systems were used;
11 2. the number of violations recorded at each such location and in the
12 aggregate on a daily, weekly and monthly basis;
13 3. the total number of notices of liability issued;
14 4. the number of fines and total amount of fines paid after first
15 notice of liability;
16 5. the number of violations adjudicated and results of such adjudi-
17 cations including breakdowns of dispositions made;
18 6. the total amount of revenue realized by such village; and
19 7. quality of the adjudication process and its results.
20 § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 87 of the public officers law is amended
21 by adding a new paragraph (v) to read as follows:
22 (v) are photographs, microphotographs, videotape or other recorded
23 images prepared under the authority of section eleven hundred eighty-h
24 of the vehicle and traffic law.
25 § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
26 have become a law and shall expire December 1, 2030 when upon such date
27 the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
