S 31: Provides that the thruway authority shall issue permits for ambulances and fire vehicles exempting such vehicles from paying tolls on the thruway when engaged in an emergency operation.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 31 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. COMRIE, BORRELLO, MATTERA, OBERACKER, PALUMBO, ROLI- SON, SKOUFIS, WEBER, WEIK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the issuance of permits to exempt ambulances and fire vehicles from paying tolls on the New York state thruway when engaged in an emergency operation The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 378-a of the public authorities 2 law, as added by chapter 23 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as 3 follows: 4 1. The authority is hereby authorized and directed to [issue refunds 5 for tolls incurred by ambulances or fire vehicles engaged in an emergen- 6 cy operation, or, at the option of the authority, to] issue emergency 7 services permits for use by ambulances and fire vehicles which shall 8 provide for travel at no charge between interchanges and barriers while 9 such vehicles are engaged in an emergency operation, provided that the 10 authority is authorized and directed to issue refunds for tolls incurred 11 by such ambulances and fire vehicles engaged in an emergency operation 12 while the applicable application for emergency services permits is pend- 13 ing. The authority shall promulgate rules and regulations establishing 14 the process by which such ambulances and fire vehicles can apply for 15 emergency services permits. For purposes of this section, the term 16 "ambulance" shall have the same meaning as such term is defined by 17 section one hundred-b of the vehicle and traffic law, the term "fire 18 vehicle" shall have the same meaning as such term is defined by section 19 one hundred fifteen-a of the vehicle and traffic law, and the term 20 "emergency operation" shall have the same meaning as such term is 21 defined by section one hundred fourteen-b of the vehicle and traffic 22 law. In any rules and regulations promulgated for the implementation of EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00222-01-5 
 S. 31 2 1 this section, the authority may establish the type of documentation or 2 other proof satisfactory to the authority that an ambulance or fire 3 vehicle was engaged in an emergency operation at the time a toll was 4 incurred. 5 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.