Res. No. 26

Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would require New York State vehicle inspectors to fail a motor vehicle if the vehicle’s license plate is damaged or obstructed during inspection.

By Council Members Schulman, Louis, Brooks-Powers, Hudson and Ung

                     Whereas, In 1994, New York City (NYC) launched the nation’s first Red Light Camera Program, which has been effective at deterring drivers from running red lights, with the average daily number of red light violations issued at camera locations declining by over 77 percent since the program’s inception in 1994; and

                     Whereas, In 2013, the New York State Legislature and Governor enacted Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1180-b, which granted NYC the authority to pilot an automated speed enforcement camera program to deter speeding in 20 school speed zones; and

                     Whereas, The pilot program was subsequently expanded in June 2014 to include a total of 140 school speed zones, and again in 2019 to 750 school speed zones on all weekdays between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM, allowing cameras to be placed at any location within a quarter-mile radius of a school building; and

                     Whereas, In 2022, with data showing that speeding at fixed camera locations had dropped significantly, the State amended section 1180-b of the Vehicle and Traffic Law to permit camera hours to be expanded to 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and

                     Whereas, As of January 2023, there were approximately 2,000 speed cameras throughout NYC that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with 1,079,642 violations issued in Queens, 949,004 in Brooklyn, 440,000 in the Bronx, 227,000 in Manhattan, and 18,600 in Staten Island; and

                     Whereas, According to the NYC Comptroller’s Office, from August 1, 2022, when 24/7 speed camera operation began, to December 20, 2022,  the program has issued approximately 3 million violations and the City has received approximately $100 million from fines paid, with an additional $66.5 million that remains outstanding, which includes late penalties, court-determined reductions, and interest; and

                     Whereas, There have been reports of drivers damaging and obstructing their license plates to evade red light, speed, and toll cameras and preventing law enforcement from identifying perpetrators; and

                     Whereas, According to the New York Times, in 2021 the City lost  $8 million in unrealized fine revenue due to damaged or obstructed license plates, which represents 4 percent of the total $200 million that the City collected from speed and red-light cameras; and

                     Whereas, In addition to the loss of revenue for the City, toll evasion caused by damaged or obstructed license plates causes $50 million a year in lost toll revenue for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and $40 million a year in lost toll revenue for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; and

                     Whereas, New York State law requires motor vehicles to be in safe operating condition whenever they are driven on a public street or roadway and that each vehicle registered in the State must be inspected at least every 12 months; and

                     Whereas, Obstructed and defaced license plates prevent cameras and law enforcement from identifying traffic offenders and impedes safe operating conditions on the road; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would require New York State vehicle inspectors to fail a motor vehicle if the vehicle’s license plate is damaged or obstructed during inspection.

JPB

LS # 14574

12/6/2023 10:30 AM