Provides a defense from liability for certain MTA vehicles standing, stopped, or parked in violation of certain bus lane restrictions in New York city, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8810
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 8, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to providing  a
   defense  from liability for certain MTA vehicles standing, stopped, or
   parked in violation of certain bus lane restrictions in New York city

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Subdivision (o) of section 1111-c of the vehicle and traf-
 fic law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the  vehicle
 and  traffic  law  relating  to  an  affirmative  defense  for  bus lane
 restrictions in New York city, as proposed in legislative bills  numbers
 S. 6815 and A.  8292, is amended to read as follows:
   (o) It shall be a defense to any [prosecution for a violation of a bus
 lane restriction] NOTICE OF LIABILITY ISSUED TO THE OWNER OF A METROPOL-
 ITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY VEHICLE FOR STANDING, STOPPING, OR PARKING
 IN  A BUS LANE IN VIOLATION OF THE APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 4-08
 OF CHAPTER FOUR OF TITLE THIRTY-FOUR OF THE RULES OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW
 YORK  pursuant  to  a bus rapid transit program adopted pursuant to this
 section [when an employee of the] THAT THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS A
 metropolitan transportation authority [is] EMPLOYEE  performing  author-
 ized  duties [on behalf of such authority and is operating an authorized
 employer motor vehicle in the bus lane at the time of the violation  and
 conducting  lawful business or providing service to an official] INVOLV-
 ING A metropolitan transportation authority vehicle [or personnel  while
 in a] IN SUCH bus lane.
   §  2.  Section  1111-c-1  of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision (q) to read as follows:
   (Q) IT SHALL BE A DEFENSE TO ANY NOTICE OF  LIABILITY  ISSUED  TO  THE
 OWNER OF A METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY VEHICLE FOR A VIOLATION
 OF  SECTION 4-08(F)(4) OF CHAPTER FOUR OF TITLE THIRTY-FOUR OF THE RULES
 OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK PURSUANT  TO  A  DEMONSTRATION  PROGRAM  ADOPTED
 PURSUANT  TO  THIS SECTION THAT THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS A METRO-
 POLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY EMPLOYEE PERFORMING  AUTHORIZED  DUTIES
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11210-02-6
 S. 8810                             2

 INVOLVING  A  METROPOLITAN  TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY VEHICLE IN SUCH BUS
 LANE.
   §  3.  This  act  shall  take  effect on the same date and in the same
 manner as a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the vehicle and traffic
 law relating to an affirmative defense for bus lane restrictions in  New
 York city, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 6815 and A. 8292,
 takes  effect; provided, however, that the amendments to sections 1111-c
 and 1111-c-1 of the vehicle and traffic law made by sections one and two
 of this act, respectively, shall not affect the repeal of such  sections
 and shall be deemed repealed therewith.