Bill Text: NY S01231 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Provides improved access to taxi cabs for persons with disabilities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-11 - PRINT NUMBER 1231A [S01231 Detail]
Download: New_York-2011-S01231-Amended.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1231--A
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 6, 2011
___________
Introduced by Sen. DUANE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government -- recom-
mitted to the Committee on Local Government in accordance with Senate
Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to providing for
improved access to taxicabs for persons with disabilities
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. Section 181 of the general municipal law, as amended by
2 chapter 579 of the laws of 1993, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 430
3 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
4 S 181. Ordinances to regulate taxicabs and limousines. 1. The munici-
5 pal officers and boards in the several cities, towns and villages of
6 this state now having the authority to enact ordinances, may adopt ordi-
7 nances regulating:
8 [1.] (A) The registration and licensing of taxicabs and may limit the
9 number of taxicabs to be licensed and the county of Westchester may
10 adopt ordinances regulating the registration and licensing of taxicabs
11 and limousines and may limit the number to be licensed; and the county
12 of Nassau may adopt ordinances regulating the registration of taxicabs
13 and limousines.
14 [2.] (B) Parking and passenger pick-up and discharge by taxicabs,
15 limousines and livery vehicles. Establishment of such ordinances and
16 regulations regulating parking and passenger pick-up and discharges may
17 be based upon recommendations from municipal planning officials or other
18 public entities and may address and take into consideration such
19 factors, including, but not limited to, geographic areas, vehicle type,
20 limiting the number of parked vehicles and activities undertaken while
21 parked, and periods of idling.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01099-02-2
S. 1231--A 2
1 2. THE MUNICIPAL OFFICERS AND BOARDS IN ANY CITY HAVING A POPULATION
2 OF MORE THAN ONE MILLION SHALL NO LATER THAN DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO
3 THOUSAND FIFTEEN ADOPT ORDINANCES PROVIDING:
4 (A) THAT "ACCESSIBLE TAXICAB" SHALL MEAN ANY VEHICLE THAT
5 (1) IS EQUIPPED WITH A LIFT, RAMP, OR ANY OTHER DEVICE, ARRANGEMENT OR
6 ALTERATION, SO IT IS CAPABLE OF TRANSPORTING PERSONS WITH PHYSICAL DISA-
7 BILITIES, INCLUDING THOSE WHO USE WHEELCHAIRS, SCOOTERS AND SIMILAR
8 DEVICES WHILE THEY REMAIN SEATED IN THEIR WHEELCHAIRS, SCOOTERS OR SIMI-
9 LAR DEVICES;
10 (2) COMPLIES WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS SET FORTH IN REGULATIONS PROMUL-
11 GATED UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND CODIFIED AT 49
12 C.F.R. SECTIONS 38.23, 38.25 AND 38.31, AS AMENDED, WHETHER OR NOT THOSE
13 REGULATIONS WOULD APPLY UNDER FEDERAL LAW;
14 (3) IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM FOR PERSONS WITH
15 HEARING IMPAIRMENT THAT IS CONNECTED WITH ANY INTERCOM, VIDEO OR AUDIO
16 SYSTEM, WHEN SUCH A SYSTEM IS INSTALLED;
17 (4) ASSURES THAT THE TECHNOLOGY UTILIZED BY TAXICABS IS COMPLIANT WITH
18 THE STANDARDS PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION;
19 PROVIDED THAT A LOCAL AUTHORITY WITH OVERSIGHT OVER TAXICABS, LIMOUSINES
20 AND LIVERY VEHICLES MAY CONDUCT PILOT PROGRAMS TESTING NEW SYSTEMS;
21 (5) IS EQUIPPED WITH STANDARDIZED SIGNS PRINTED IN: (A) BRAILLE; AND
22 (B) LARGE-PRINT TEXT SO THAT SUCH SIGNS ARE VISIBLE TO PERSONS WITH LOW
23 VISION;
24 (6) PROVIDES SUFFICIENT FLOOR SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE A SERVICE ANIMAL;
25 AND
26 (7) IF POWERED BY A HYBRID-ELECTRIC POWER PLANT, IS EQUIPPED WITH AN
27 APPROPRIATE DEVICE TO ENABLE PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND TO HEAR THE APPROACH
28 OF THE VEHICLE AS READILY AS THEY CAN HEAR A CONVENTIONAL GASOLINE-POW-
29 ERED TAXICAB.
30 (B) THAT NO OWNER OF A TAXICAB SHALL PLACE ANY TAXICAB INTO SERVICE
31 SUBSEQUENT TO JUNE THIRTIETH, TWO THOUSAND SIXTEEN WHICH TAXICAB IS NOT
32 AN ACCESSIBLE TAXICAB.
33 3. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM"
34 SHALL MEAN SITUATIONAL-PERSONAL ACOUSTIC COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT
35 DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE TRANSMISSION AND AUDITORY RECEPTION OF SOUND.
36 SUCH SYSTEM SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO THE USE OF STANDARD
37 AMPLITUDE MODULATION (AM), FREQUENCY MODULATION (FM), AUDIO INDUCTION
38 LOOP, INFRARED LIGHT SOUND, OR HARD WIRE SYSTEMS.
39 S 2. The commissioner of transportation shall promulgate any rules,
40 regulations and standards necessary to give effect of the provisions of
41 this act, including, but not limited to rules, regulations and standards
42 concerning the standardization of assistive listening technology avail-
43 able in taxicabs and the content of signs available in taxicabs to visu-
44 ally impaired persons.
45 S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
