Permits the suspension of a license or driving privilege for failure to answer a summons for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; prohibits the reduction or waiving of fines or mandatory surcharges imposed for a violation of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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8692
IN SENATE
January 7, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to suspension
of a license for failure to pay a fine for impaired driving violations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The subdivision heading and paragraph (a) of subdivision
2 4-a of section 510 of the vehicle and traffic law, the subdivision head-
3 ing as amended by chapter 76 of the laws of 2021, and paragraph (a) as
4 amended by chapter 713 of the laws of 2021, are amended to read as
5 follows:
6 Suspension for failure to answer an appearance ticket or pay a certain
7 fine. (a) Upon receipt of a court notification of the failure of a
8 person to appear within sixty days of the return date or new subsequent
9 adjourned date, pursuant to an appearance ticket charging said person
10 with a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter (except one
11 for parking, stopping, or standing) or for failure to pay a fine imposed
12 pursuant to section eleven hundred ninety-three of this chapter for a
13 violation of section eleven hundred ninety-two of this chapter, of any
14 violation of the tax law or of the transportation law regulating traffic
15 or of any lawful ordinance or regulation made by a local or public
16 authority, relating to traffic (except one for parking, stopping, or
17 standing) the commissioner or [his or her] the agent of such commission-
18 er may suspend the driver's license or privileges of such person pending
19 receipt of notice from the court that such person has appeared in
20 response to such appearance ticket or has paid or has entered into an
21 installment payment plan to pay the fine associated with a conviction
22 entered as a result of the failure to appear in response to such appear-
23 ance ticket or imposed pursuant to section eleven hundred ninety-three
24 of this chapter for a violation of section eleven hundred ninety-two of
25 this chapter, or the defendant has been acquitted of the charge that led
26 to the suspension or such charge was otherwise dismissed. Such suspen-
27 sion shall take effect no less than thirty days from the day upon which
28 an initial notice thereof is sent by the commissioner to the person
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13350-02-5
S. 8692 2
1 whose driver's license or privileges are to be suspended, provided that
2 the commissioner shall send such person at least two notices thereof,
3 including such initial notice, at least fifteen days apart during such
4 period. Any suspension issued pursuant to this paragraph shall be
5 subject to the provisions of paragraph (j-l) of subdivision two of
6 section five hundred three of this [chapter] title.
7 § 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section 1802 of the vehicle and
8 traffic law, as added by chapter 382 of the laws of 2020, is amended to
9 read as follows:
10 (b) The court or hearing officer shall have the discretion in the
11 interests of justice to reduce or waive the amount of any fine, fee or
12 mandatory surcharge assessed for a violation of any of the provisions of
13 this chapter or any local law, ordinance, order, rule or regulation made
14 by local authorities in relation to traffic, provided, however, the
15 provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to fines and mandatory
16 surcharges imposed for violations of section eleven hundred ninety-two
17 of this chapter.
18 § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
19 have become a law.
