BILL NUMBER:S928

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the executive law, in relation to
state-issued parking placards

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The legislation amends the executive law by adding a new section 837-s
to require all parking placards issued by the state of New York to
bear a barcode to allow traffic enforcement agents to confirm their
validity.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends the executive law by adding a new section
837-s to require all parking placards issued by the state of New York
to bear a barcode to allow traffic enforcement agents to confirm their
validity. In addition, it requires the barcode to contain information
about the individual authorized to use the placard, including the
user's name, license place of the vehicle in which it is displayed,
the name of the agency for whom the user works, and a unique
identification number specific to each placard.  The bill also
requires the commissioner to establish an on-line registry and website
for all state-issued parking placards.

Section 2 provides for this act to take effect immediately.
              

JUSTIFICATION:

New York State has been issuing parking placards to state legislators
and government employees for years. Parking placards allow the bearers
to park in most areas in New York City where others could not. While
these placards are meant to be used for official business purposes
only, due to lack of oversight and guidelines, hundreds of placards
went into circulation, including fraudulent ones.

On April 7, 2011, Governor Cuomo announced new policies for State
issued parking placards following the State Inspector General's
investigation, which revealed systematic problems with how the
placards were distributed and how they were used by some state
employees. The new policy announced by Governor Cuomo established an
application and approval process for receiving a placard and reduced
the number of placards in circulation.

While this policy may limit the unethical use of parking placards, in
order to eradicate abuse of this privilege, there needs to be an
enhanced enforcement mechanism that would help traffic agents to
easily and promptly confirm their validity. A barcode imprinted on
each placard can be scanned by traffic enforcement agents to determine
if the placard is authentic and used for proper purpose.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:


None known.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.