STATE OF NEW YORK
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1531
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
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Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- 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 requiring
safe passenger access to all for-hire vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision 53 to read as follows:
3 53. Accessible side entry for taxicab and livery vehicles. (a) Every
4 taxicab and livery registered in this state that is required by local,
5 state, or federal law or regulation to be handicap accessible, or in any
6 way advertises its services as accessible to individuals with disabili-
7 ties and individuals who use wheelchairs, must be: (i) built as wheel-
8 chair accessible by the vehicle's original equipment manufacturer (OEM),
9 except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subdivision and (ii)
10 equipped to allow all passengers to enter the vehicle through a passen-
11 ger compartment side door.
12 (b) A taxicab or livery vehicle not built as wheelchair accessible by
13 the OEM, and subsequently converted, modified or altered to be wheel-
14 chair accessible, may only be used as a taxicab or livery vehicle with
15 the approval of the department of transportation. The department of
16 transportation shall require submission of crash test and safety data
17 for the model of converted, altered, or modified vehicle and consider
18 this data in making a determination to certify the vehicle for use as a
19 taxicab or livery vehicle, except that, no converted, altered or modi-
20 fied vehicle may be certified that has not been crash-tested and the
21 results submitted to the department of transportation. The department of
22 transportation shall issue rules to govern the approval process set out
23 in this paragraph and no converted, modified or altered vehicle may be
24 approved for use as a transportation taxicab or livery vehicle until
25 such rules have been issued.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02062-02-9
S. 1531 2
1 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
2 it shall have become a law, provided that this act shall apply to taxi-
3 cab and livery vehicles registered with a state or local authority on
4 and after such effective date.