S 9454: Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Poughkeepsie; repeals authorization of program December 31, 2030.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9454  IN SENATE March 12, 2026 ___________ Introduced by Sen. ROLISON -- 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 and the public officers law, in relation to establishing a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Poughkeepsie; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new 2 section 1180-c to read as follows: 3 § 1180-c. Owner liability for failure of operator to comply with 4 certain posted maximum speed limits. (a) 1. Notwithstanding any other 5 provision of law, the city of Poughkeepsie is hereby authorized to 6 establish a demonstration program imposing monetary liability on the 7 owner of a vehicle for failure of an operator thereof to comply with 8 posted maximum speed limits in a school speed zone within such city (i) 9 when a school speed limit is in effect as provided in paragraphs one and 10 two of subdivision (c) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article 11 or (ii) when other speed limits are in effect as provided in subdivision 12 (b), (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article 13 during the following times: (A) on school days during school hours and 14 one hour before and one hour after the school day, and (B) a period 15 during student activities at the school and up to thirty minutes imme- 16 diately before and up to thirty minutes immediately after such student 17 activities. Such demonstration program shall empower the city of Pough- 18 keepsie to install photo speed violation monitoring systems within no 19 more than three school speed zones within such city at any one time and 20 to operate such systems within such zones (iii) when a school speed 21 limit is in effect as provided in paragraphs one and two of subdivision 22 (c) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article or (iv) when other 23 speed limits are in effect as provided in subdivision (b), (d), (f) or 24 (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article during the follow- 25 ing times: (A) on school days during school hours and one hour before 26 and one hour after the school day, and (B) a period during student EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD13268-02-6 
 S. 9454 2 1 activities at the school and up to thirty minutes immediately before and 2 up to thirty minutes immediately after such student activities. In 3 selecting a school speed zone in which to install and operate a photo 4 speed violation monitoring system, the city shall consider criteria 5 including, but not limited to, the speed data, crash history, and the 6 roadway geometry applicable to such school speed zone. 7 2. No photo speed violation monitoring system shall be used in a 8 school speed zone unless (i) on the day it is to be used it has success- 9 fully passed a self-test of its functions; and (ii) it has undergone an 10 annual calibration check performed pursuant to paragraph four of this 11 subdivision. The city shall install signs giving notice that a photo 12 speed violation monitoring system is in use to be mounted on advance 13 warning signs notifying motor vehicle operators of such upcoming school 14 speed zone and/or on speed limit signs applicable within such school 15 speed zone, in conformance with standards established in the MUTCD. 16 3. Operators of photo speed violation monitoring systems shall have 17 completed training in the procedures for setting up, testing, and oper- 18 ating such systems. Each such operator shall complete and sign a daily 19 set-up log for each such system that they operate that (i) states the 20 date and time when, and the location where, the system was set up that 21 day, and (ii) states that such operator successfully performed, and the 22 system passed, the self-tests of such system before producing a recorded 23 image that day. The city shall retain each such daily log until the 24 later of the date on which the photo speed violation monitoring system 25 to which it applies has been permanently removed from use or the final 26 resolution of all cases involving notices of liability issued based on 27 photographs, microphotographs, videotape or other recorded images 28 produced by such system. 29 4. Each photo speed violation monitoring system shall undergo an annu- 30 al calibration check performed by an independent calibration laboratory 31 which shall issue a signed certificate of calibration. The city shall 32 keep each such annual certificate of calibration on file until the final 33 resolution of all cases involving a notice of liability issued during 34 such year which were based on photographs, microphotographs, videotape 35 or other recorded images produced by such photo speed violation monitor- 36 ing system. 37 5. (i) Such demonstration program shall utilize necessary technologies 38 to ensure, to the extent practicable, that photographs, microphoto- 39 graphs, videotape or other recorded images produced by such photo speed 40 violation monitoring systems shall not include images that identify the 41 driver, the passengers, or the contents of the vehicle. Provided, 42 however, that no notice of liability issued pursuant to this section 43 shall be dismissed solely because such a photograph, microphotograph, 44 videotape or other recorded image allows for the identification of the 45 driver, the passengers, or the contents of vehicles where the city shows 46 that it made reasonable efforts to comply with the provisions of this 47 paragraph in such case. 48 (ii) Photographs, microphotographs, videotape or any other recorded 49 image from a photo speed violation monitoring system shall be for the 50 exclusive use of the city for the purpose of the adjudication of liabil- 51 ity imposed pursuant to this section and of the owner receiving a notice 52 of liability pursuant to this section, and shall be destroyed by the 53 city upon the final resolution of the notice of liability to which such 54 photographs, microphotographs, videotape or other recorded images 55 relate, or one year following the date of issuance of such notice of 56 liability, whichever is later. Notwithstanding the provisions of any 
 S. 9454 3 1 other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, photographs, microphoto- 2 graphs, videotape or any other recorded image from a photo speed 3 violation monitoring system shall not be open to the public, nor subject 4 to civil or criminal process or discovery, nor used by any court or 5 administrative or adjudicatory body in any action or proceeding therein 6 except that which is necessary for the adjudication of a notice of 7 liability issued pursuant to this section, and no public entity or 8 employee, officer or agent thereof shall disclose such information, 9 except that such photographs, microphotographs, videotape or any other 10 recorded images from such systems: 11 (A) shall be available for inspection and copying and use by the motor 12 vehicle owner and operator for so long as such photographs, microphoto- 13 graphs, videotape or other recorded images are required to be maintained 14 or are maintained by such public entity, employee, officer or agent; and 15 (B) (1) shall be furnished when described in a search warrant issued 16 by a court authorized to issue such a search warrant pursuant to article 17 six hundred ninety of the criminal procedure law or a federal court 18 authorized to issue such a search warrant under federal law, where such 19 search warrant states that there is reasonable cause to believe such 20 information constitutes evidence of, or tends to demonstrate that, a 21 misdemeanor or felony offense was committed in this state or another 22 state, or that a particular person participated in the commission of a 23 misdemeanor or felony offense in this state or another state, provided, 24 however, that if such offense was against the laws of another state, the 25 court shall only issue a warrant if the conduct comprising such offense 26 would, if occurring in this state, constitute a misdemeanor or felony 27 against the laws of this state; and 28 (2) shall be furnished in response to a subpoena duces tecum signed by 29 a judge of competent jurisdiction and issued pursuant to article six 30 hundred ten of the criminal procedure law or a judge or magistrate of a 31 federal court authorized to issue such a subpoena duces tecum under 32 federal law, where the judge finds and the subpoena states that there is 33 reasonable cause to believe such information is relevant and material to 34 the prosecution, or the defense, or the investigation by an authorized 35 law enforcement official, of the alleged commission of a misdemeanor or 36 felony in this state or another state, provided, however, that if such 37 offense was against the laws of another state, such judge or magistrate 38 shall only issue such subpoena if the conduct comprising such offense 39 would, if occurring in this state, constitute a misdemeanor or felony in 40 this state; and 41 (3) may, if lawfully obtained pursuant to this clause and clause (A) 42 of this subparagraph and otherwise admissible, be used in such criminal 43 action or proceeding. 44 (b) If the city of Poughkeepsie establishes a demonstration program 45 pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section, the owner of a vehicle 46 shall be liable for a penalty imposed pursuant to this section if such 47 vehicle was used or operated with the permission of the owner, express 48 or implied, within a school speed zone in violation of subdivision (c) 49 or during the times authorized pursuant to subdivision (a) of this 50 section in violation of subdivision (b), (d), (f) or (g) of section 51 eleven hundred eighty of this article, such vehicle was traveling at a 52 speed of more than ten miles per hour above the posted speed limit in 53 effect within such school speed zone, and such violation is evidenced by 54 information obtained from a photo speed violation monitoring system; 55 provided however that no owner of a vehicle shall be liable for a penal- 56 ty imposed pursuant to this section where the operator of such vehicle 
 S. 9454 4 1 has been convicted of the underlying violation of subdivision (b), (c), 2 (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article. 3 (c) For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the 4 following meanings: 5 1. "manual on uniform traffic control devices" or "MUTCD" shall mean 6 the manual and specifications for a uniform system of traffic control 7 devices maintained by the commissioner of transportation pursuant to 8 section sixteen hundred eighty of this chapter; 9 2. "owner" shall have the meaning provided in article two-B of this 10 chapter; 11 3. "photo speed violation monitoring system" shall mean a vehicle 12 sensor installed to work in conjunction with a speed measuring device 13 which automatically produces two or more photographs, two or more micro- 14 photographs, a videotape or other recorded images of each vehicle at the 15 time it is used or operated in a school speed zone in violation of 16 subdivision (b), (c), (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty 17 of this article in accordance with the provisions of this section; and 18 4. "school speed zone" shall mean a distance not to exceed one thou- 19 sand three hundred twenty feet on a highway passing a school building, 20 entrance or exit of a school abutting on the highway. 21 (d) A certificate, sworn to or affirmed by a technician employed by 22 the city of Poughkeepsie, or a facsimile thereof, based upon inspection 23 of photographs, microphotographs, videotape or other recorded images 24 produced by a photo speed violation monitoring system, shall be prima 25 facie evidence of the facts contained therein. Any photographs, micro- 26 photographs, videotape or other recorded images evidencing such a 27 violation shall include at least two date and time stamped images of the 28 rear of the motor vehicle that include the same stationary object near 29 the motor vehicle and shall be available for inspection reasonably in 30 advance of and at any proceeding to adjudicate the liability for such 31 violation pursuant to this section. 32 (e) An owner liable for a violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), (f) 33 or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article pursuant to a 34 demonstration program established pursuant to this section shall be 35 liable for monetary penalties in accordance with a schedule of fines and 36 penalties to be promulgated by the parking violations bureau of the city 37 of Poughkeepsie. The liability of the owner pursuant to this section 38 shall not exceed fifty dollars for each violation; provided, however, 39 that such parking violations bureau may provide for an additional penal- 40 ty not in excess of twenty-five dollars for each violation for the fail- 41 ure to respond to a notice of liability within the prescribed time peri- 42 od. 43 (f) An imposition of liability under the demonstration program estab- 44 lished pursuant to this section shall not be deemed a conviction as an 45 operator and shall not be made part of the operating record of the 46 person upon whom such liability is imposed nor shall it be used for 47 insurance purposes in the provision of motor vehicle insurance coverage. 48 (g) 1. A notice of liability shall be sent by first class mail to each 49 person alleged to be liable as an owner for a violation of subdivision 50 (b), (c), (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this arti- 51 cle pursuant to this section, within fourteen business days if such 52 owner is a resident of this state and within forty-five business days if 53 such owner is a non-resident. Personal delivery on the owner shall not 54 be required. A manual or automatic record of mailing prepared in the 55 ordinary course of business shall be prima facie evidence of the facts 56 contained therein. 
 S. 9454 5 1 2. A notice of liability shall contain the name and address of the 2 person alleged to be liable as an owner for a violation of subdivision 3 (b), (c), (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this arti- 4 cle pursuant to this section, the registration number of the vehicle 5 involved in such violation, the location where such violation took 6 place, the date and time of such violation, the identification number of 7 the camera which recorded the violation or other document locator 8 number, at least two date and time stamped images of the rear of the 9 motor vehicle that include the same stationary object near the motor 10 vehicle, and the certificate charging the liability. 11 3. The notice of liability shall contain information advising the 12 person charged of the manner and the time in which they may contest the 13 liability alleged in the notice. Such notice of liability shall also 14 contain a prominent warning to advise the person charged that failure to 15 contest in the manner and time provided shall be deemed an admission of 16 liability and that a default judgment may be entered thereon. 17 4. The notice of liability shall be prepared and mailed by the city of 18 Poughkeepsie, or by any other entity authorized by the city to prepare 19 and mail such notice of liability. 20 (h) Adjudication of the liability imposed upon owners of this section 21 shall be by the city of Poughkeepsie parking violations bureau. 22 (i) If an owner receives a notice of liability pursuant to this 23 section for any time period during which the vehicle or the number plate 24 or plates of such vehicle was reported to the police department as 25 having been stolen, it shall be a valid defense to an allegation of 26 liability for a violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), (f) or (g) of 27 section eleven hundred eighty of this article pursuant to this section 28 that the vehicle or the number plate or plates of such vehicle had been 29 reported to the police as stolen prior to the time the violation 30 occurred and had not been recovered by such time. For purposes of 31 asserting the defense provided by this subdivision, it shall be suffi- 32 cient that a certified copy of the police report on the stolen vehicle 33 or number plate or plates of such vehicle be sent by first class mail to 34 the city of Poughkeepsie parking violations bureau or by any other enti- 35 ty authorized by the city to prepare and mail such notice of liability. 36 (j) 1. An owner who is a lessor of a vehicle to which a notice of 37 liability was issued pursuant to subdivision (g) of this section shall 38 not be liable for the violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), (f) or (g) 39 of section eleven hundred eighty of this article pursuant to this 40 section, provided that: 41 (i) prior to the violation, the lessor has filed with such parking 42 violations bureau in accordance with the provisions of section two 43 hundred thirty-nine of this chapter; and 44 (ii) within thirty-seven days after receiving notice from such bureau 45 of the date and time of a liability, together with the other information 46 contained in the original notice of liability, the lessor submits to 47 such bureau the correct name and address of the lessee of the vehicle 48 identified in the notice of liability at the time of such violation, 49 together with such other additional information contained in the rental, 50 lease or other contract document, as may be reasonably required by such 51 bureau pursuant to regulations that may be promulgated for such purpose. 52 2. Failure to comply with subparagraph (ii) of paragraph one of this 53 subdivision shall render the owner liable for the penalty prescribed in 54 this section. 55 3. Where the lessor complies with the provisions of paragraph one of 56 this subdivision, the lessee of such vehicle on the date of such 
 S. 9454 6 1 violation shall be deemed to be the owner of such vehicle for purposes 2 of this section, shall be subject to liability for such violation pursu- 3 ant to this section and shall be sent a notice of liability pursuant to 4 subdivision (g) of this section. 5 (k) 1. If the owner liable for a violation of subdivision (c) or (d) 6 of section eleven hundred eighty of this article pursuant to this 7 section was not the operator of the vehicle at the time of the 8 violation, the owner may maintain an action for indemnification against 9 the operator. 10 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no owner of a 11 vehicle shall be subject to a monetary fine imposed pursuant to this 12 section if the operator of such vehicle was operating such vehicle with- 13 out the consent of the owner at the time such operator operated such 14 vehicle in violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), (f) or (g) of section 15 eleven hundred eighty of this article. For purposes of this subdivision 16 there shall be a presumption that the operator of such vehicle was oper- 17 ating such vehicle with the consent of the owner at the time such opera- 18 tor operated such vehicle in violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), (f) 19 or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of this article. 20 (l) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the liability 21 of an operator of a vehicle for any violation of subdivision (c) or (d) 22 of section eleven hundred eighty of this article. 23 (m) If the city adopts a demonstration program pursuant to subdivision 24 (a) of this section it shall conduct a study and submit an annual report 25 on the results of the use of photo devices to the governor, the tempo- 26 rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on or 27 before the first day of June next succeeding the effective date of this 28 section and on the same date in each succeeding year in which the demon- 29 stration program is operable. Such report shall include: 30 1. the locations where and dates when photo speed violation monitoring 31 systems were used; 32 2. the aggregate number, type and severity of crashes, fatalities, 33 injuries and property damage reported within all school speed zones 34 within the city, to the extent the information is maintained by the 35 department of motor vehicles of this state; 36 3. the aggregate number, type and severity of crashes, fatalities, 37 injuries and property damage reported within school speed zones where 38 photo speed violation monitoring systems were used, to the extent the 39 information is maintained by the department of motor vehicles of this 40 state; 41 4. the number of violations recorded within all school speed zones 42 within the city, in the aggregate on a daily, weekly and monthly basis; 43 5. the number of violations recorded within each school speed zone 44 where a photo speed violation monitoring system is used, in the aggre- 45 gate on a daily, weekly and monthly basis; 46 6. the number of violations recorded within all school speed zones 47 within the city that were: 48 (i) more than ten but not more than twenty miles per hour over the 49 posted speed limit; 50 (ii) more than twenty but not more than thirty miles per hour over the 51 posted speed limit; 52 (iii) more than thirty but not more than forty miles per hour over the 53 posted speed limit; and 54 (iv) more than forty miles per hour over the posted speed limit; 55 7. the number of violations recorded within each school speed zone 56 where a photo speed violation monitoring system is used that were: 
 S. 9454 7 1 (i) more than ten but not more than twenty miles per hour over the 2 posted speed limit; 3 (ii) more than twenty but not more than thirty miles per hour over the 4 posted speed limit; 5 (iii) more than thirty but not more than forty miles per hour over the 6 posted speed limit; and 7 (iv) more than forty miles per hour over the posted speed limit; 8 8. the total number of notices of liability issued for violations 9 recorded by such systems; 10 9. the number of fines and total amount of fines paid after the first 11 notice of liability issued for violations recorded by such systems; 12 10. the number of violations adjudicated and the results of such adju- 13 dications including breakdowns of dispositions made for violations 14 recorded by such systems; 15 11. the total amount of revenue realized by the city in connection 16 with the program; 17 12. the expenses incurred by the city in connection with the program; 18 and 19 13. the quality of the adjudication process and its results. 20 (n) It shall be a defense to any prosecution for a violation of subdi- 21 vision (b), (c), (d), (f) or (g) of section eleven hundred eighty of 22 this article pursuant to this section that such photo speed violation 23 monitoring system was malfunctioning at the time of the alleged 24 violation. 25 § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 87 of the public officers law is amended 26 by adding a new paragraph (w) to read as follows: 27 (w) are photographs, microphotographs, videotape or other recorded 28 images prepared under the authority of section eleven hundred eighty-c 29 of the vehicle and traffic law. 30 § 3. The purchase or lease of equipment for a demonstration program 31 established pursuant to section 1180-c of the vehicle and traffic law, 32 as added by section one of this act, shall be subject to the provisions 33 of section 103 of the general municipal law. 34 § 4. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall 35 have become a law and shall expire December 31, 2030, when upon such 36 date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed. Effective 37 immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regu- 38 lation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective 39 date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective 40 date.