Bill Text: NY A05639 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides that no person operating or controlling any Class I railroad or Class II railroad shall allow the operation of any railroad train or locomotive for the movement of freight unless such railroad train or locomotive has a crew of not less than two individuals; provides exemptions; defines terms; imposes civil penalties.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-06-06 - substituted by s5775 [A05639 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-A05639-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5639 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY March 20, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MAGNARELLI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the railroad law, in relation to requiring certain trains and locomotives to have a crew size of not less than two persons; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expira- tion thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The railroad law is amended by adding a new section 63-a to 2 read as follows: 3 § 63-a. Minimum crew size. 1. Except as otherwise provided in subdivi- 4 sion two of this section, no person operating or controlling any Class I 5 or Class II railroad shall allow the operation of any railroad train or 6 locomotive for the movement of freight in this state unless such rail- 7 road train or locomotive has a crew of not less than two individuals. 8 2. The provisions of subdivision one of this section shall not apply 9 to a railroad train or locomotive engaged in switching service. 10 3. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the follow- 11 ing meanings: 12 (a) "Class I railroad" means a railroad that has been classified as a 13 Class I railroad by the federal surface transportation board in accord- 14 ance with 49 C.F.R. part 1201 section 1-1. 15 (b) "Class II railroad" means a railroad that has been classified as a 16 Class II railroad by the federal surface transportation board in accord- 17 ance with 49 C.F.R. part 1201 section 1-1. 18 (c) "Locomotive" means a self-propelled piece of on-track equipment 19 designed for moving or propelling cars that are designed to carry 20 freight, passengers, or other equipment, but which itself is not 21 designed or intended to carry freight, passengers (other than those 22 operating the locomotive) or other equipment. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD10265-01-3A. 5639 2 1 (d) "Railroad" means a commercial entity that operates locomotives to 2 transport passengers or freight. 3 (e) "Switching service" means the classification of rail cars accord- 4 ing to commodity or destination; assembly of rail cars for train move- 5 ments; changing the position of rail cars for purposes of loading, 6 unloading or weighing; placing of locomotives and rail cars for repair 7 or storage; or moving of rail equipment in connection with work service 8 that does not constitute train movement. 9 (f) "Train" means one or more locomotives, coupled with or without 10 cars. 11 4. A violation of the provisions of subdivision one of this section 12 shall be punishable by a civil penalty in an amount of not less than two 13 hundred fifty dollars nor more than one thousand dollars for a first 14 violation; for a second violation both of which were committed within a 15 period of three years by a civil penalty of not less than one thousand 16 dollars nor more than five thousand dollars; and for a third or subse- 17 quent violation all of which were committed within a period of three 18 years, by a civil penalty of not less than five thousand dollars nor 19 more than ten thousand dollars. 20 § 2. Severability. If any clause, sentence, subdivision, paragraph, 21 section or part of this act be adjudged by any court of competent juris- 22 diction to be invalid, or if any federal agency determines in writing 23 that this act would render New York state ineligible for the receipt of 24 federal funds, such judgment or written determination shall not 25 affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be 26 confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, subdivision, para- 27 graph, section or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in 28 which such judgment or written determination shall have been rendered. 29 § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall 30 have become a law; provided, however, that this act shall expire and be 31 deemed repealed if any federal agency determines in writing that this 32 act would render New York state ineligible for the receipt of federal 33 funds or any court of competent jurisdiction finally determines that 34 this act would render New York state out of compliance with federal law 35 or regulation; provided, further, that the commissioner of transporta- 36 tion shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the 37 occurrence of the provisions of section two of this act in order that 38 the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base 39 of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance 40 of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and 41 section 70-b of the public officers law. Effective immediately, the 42 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary 43 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized 44 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
