NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8399
SPONSOR: Magnarelli TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the solic-
itation of donations on state highways
PURPOSE:
To allow fundraising on public highways for fire companies, volunteer
ambulance services, and non-profit organizations on highways not exceed-
ing 30 miles per hour outside cities and villages so long as the town
has not passed a local law prohibiting it.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends section 1157 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law by adding
a subdivision (d), which allows individuals 18 years of age and older to
solicit on behalf of fire companies, volunteer ambulance services, and
non-profit organizations on highways not exceeding 30 miles per hour
outside cities and villages so long as the town has not passed a local a
law prohibiting it.
Section 2: Sets effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Fundraising on public highways is a popular and inexpensive way for fire
companies, volunteer ambulance services, and non-profit organizations to
raise money. Without these funds, services to our communities would
diminish, or taxes would need to be raised to help pay for them.
Currently, organizations can only solicit funds on public highways with-
in a city or village. Many people fundraising in small towns on behalf
of these organizations may be unknowingly breaking the law. This bill
provides an exception to the prohibition on soliciting on highways
outside cities and villages by allowing fire companies, volunteer ambu-
lance services, and nonprofit organizations to do so as long as the town
has not passed a local law prohibiting it.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Senate
2016: S7655A, Passed Senate
2017: S1027, Passed Senate
2018: S1027, Referred to Transportation
2019: S4104A, Referred to Transportation
2020: S4104A, Advanced to Third Reading
2021: S1649,Advanced to Third Reading
2022: S1649, Advanced to Third Reading
2023: S1129, Referred to Transportation
2024: S1129, Referred to Transportation
Assembly
2016: A8690-A, Referred to Transportation
2017: A386, Referred to Transportation
2018: A386, Referred to Transportation
2019: A3400-A, Passed Assembly
2020: A3400A, Passed Assembly
2021: A6496, Passed Assembly
2022: A6496, Passed Assembly
2023: A5409, Passed Assembly 2024: A5409, Passed Assembly
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the state.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8399
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MAGNARELLI -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the solic-
itation of donations on state highways
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1157 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision (d) to read as follows:
3 (d) No person shall occupy any part of a state highway in any manner
4 for the purpose of selling or soliciting in a town outside the geograph-
5 ical boundaries of a city or village, except by a person eighteen years
6 of age or older to solicit on behalf of a fire company as defined by
7 subdivision two of section one hundred of the general municipal law, a
8 voluntary ambulance service as defined by subdivision three of section
9 one hundred of the general municipal law, or an organization exempt from
10 taxation pursuant to section 501 (c) of the internal revenue code and
11 such highway has a speed limit not exceeding thirty miles per hour.
12 Provided, however, that no such solicitation pursuant to this subdivi-
13 sion shall be authorized where prohibited by a local law or ordinance of
14 the town in which such solicitation occurs.
15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04840-01-5
