Senate BillIntroduced
S 10694: Increases the penalties for overtaking and passing a school bus; provides that for the first conviction a person shall be punished by a fine of not less than $350 nor more than $500; provides that for a second conviction a person shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $800; also provides that for a third conviction a person shall be punished by a fine of not less than $800 nor more than $1500.
What S 10694 does, verified September 27, 2026
<p> This bill amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law to increase penalties for passing a school bus with its red flashing lights on, which indicates the bus is picking up or discharging students. The proposed changes establish specific fines and potential imprisonment terms based on the number of convictions within a three-year period. For a first violation, the fine ranges from $350 to $500, or up to 30 days in jail, or both. A second violation within three years carries a fine between $500 and $800, or up to 180 days in jail, or both. A third or subsequent violation within that same three-year window results in a fine between $800 and $1,500, or up to 180 days in jail, or both. The act is scheduled to take effect 90 days after it becomes law. </p>
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: REFERRED TO RULES (2026-09-11)Alert me
Quick answers about S 10694
- What is the current status of S 10694?
- As of September 27, 2026, S 10694 is recorded as "Introduced": it has been introduced and is waiting for its first committee hearing or floor vote. The last recorded action, on September 11, 2026, was "REFERRED TO RULES".
- Did S 10694 pass?
- Not yet. S 10694 has been introduced and has not passed either house.
- Who wrote S 10694, and where is it now?
- S 10694 was authored by Sen. Pamela Helming. Its committee of record is Senate Rules.
Author and sponsors
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| Sep. 11, 2026 | REFERRED TO RULES |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, September 11, 2026 · 359 words
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 10694 IN SENATE September 11, 2026 ___________ Introduced by Sen. HELMING -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to increasing the penalties for passing a school bus with its red lights illuminated indicating that it is picking up or discharging students The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision (c) of section 1174 of the vehicle and traffic 2 law, as amended by chapter 433 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read 3 as follows: 4 (c) Every person convicted of a violation of subdivision (a) of this 5 section shall: for a first conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of 6 not less than [two] three hundred fifty dollars nor more than [four] 7 five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days or 8 by both such fine and imprisonment; for a conviction of a second 9 violation, both of which were committed within a period of three years, 10 such person shall be punished by a fine of not less than [six] five 11 hundred dollars nor more than [seven hundred fifty] eight hundred 12 dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one hundred eighty days or 13 by both such fine and imprisonment; upon a conviction of a third or 14 subsequent violation, all of which were committed within a period of 15 three years, such person shall be punished by a fine of not less than 16 [seven hundred fifty] eight hundred dollars nor more than one thousand 17 five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one hundred 18 eighty days or by both such fine and imprisonment. 19 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 20 have become a law. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07458-01-5
Text of S 10694 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions