A 1218: Enacts safety requirements in stretch limousines including anti-intrusion bars and window break tools; reduces occupancy of omnibuses for purposes of being equipped with fire extinguishers and additional mirrors.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1218 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 9, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to safety requirements in stretch limousines and omnibuses 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 58 to read as follows: 3 58. Anti-intrusion bar and window break tool required in stretch 4 limousines. (a) (i) Every stretch limousine registered in this state 5 shall be equipped with anti-intrusion bars in each door. 6 (ii) Every stretch limousine registered in this state shall be 7 equipped with a window break tool. 8 (b) For the purposes of this subdivision: 9 (i) "Stretch limousine" shall mean an altered motor vehicle having a 10 seating capacity of nine or more passengers, including the driver, 11 commonly referred to as a "stretch limousine" and which is used in the 12 business of transporting passengers for compensation. 13 (ii) "Anti-intrusion bar" shall mean a bar typically made of metal or 14 steel which is installed into the doors of a stretch limousine for the 15 purposes of minimizing the impact towards occupants in the event of a 16 crash. 17 (iii) "Window break tool" shall mean a tool intended to facilitate the 18 breaking of windows in a vehicle in the event of an emergency. 19 § 2. Subdivision 9 of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law, as 20 amended by chapter 576 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as 21 follows: 22 9. Every omnibus operating upon the public highways of the state 23 having a carrying capacity of [ten] nine or more passengers, shall be 24 equipped with one hand fire extinguisher of at least 4 B:C Underwriters' 25 Laboratories rating or a similar rating by any qualified laboratory or EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03225-01-5 
 A. 1218 2 1 testing organization which meets the criteria of American Society for 2 Testing Materials test E548-76. Fire extinguishers shall be kept in good 3 operating condition at all times and must be mounted in a place readily 4 accessible for use. 5 § 3. Paragraph b of subdivision 10 of section 375 of the vehicle and 6 traffic law, as amended by chapter 914 of the laws of 1970, is amended 7 to read as follows: 8 b. In addition to the above requirements, an omnibus having a capacity 9 of [ten] nine or more passengers registered in this state and manufac- 10 tured or assembled after July first, nineteen hundred seventy, shall be 11 equipped with a mirror attached to the right side of such vehicle and so 12 adjusted that the driver thereof shall have a clear and full view of the 13 road and condition of traffic behind such vehicle. 14 § 4. Severability. If any clause, sentence, subdivision, paragraph, 15 section or part of this act be adjudged by any court of competent juris- 16 diction to be invalid, or if any federal agency determines in writing 17 that this act would render New York state ineligible for the receipt of 18 federal funds such judgment or written determination shall not affect, 19 impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its 20 operation to the clause, sentence, subdivision, paragraph, section or 21 part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment 22 or written determination shall have been rendered. 23 § 5. This act shall take effect two years after it shall have become a 24 law; provided, however, that this act shall be deemed repealed if any 25 federal agency determines in writing that this act would render New York 26 state ineligible for the receipt of federal funds or any court of compe- 27 tent jurisdiction finally determines that this act would render New York 28 state out of compliance with federal law or regulation. The commissioner 29 of transportation shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission 30 upon the occurrence of the provisions of section two of this act in 31 order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective 32 data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in 33 furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legisla- 34 tive law and section 70-b of the public officers law. Effective imme- 35 diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation 36 necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are 37 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.