Negotiate The Future

                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2688

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    January 22, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and
          when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation

        AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to  the  opera-
          tion  of  autonomous  taxicabs  in  a  city having a population of one
          million or more

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  The  vehicle  and  traffic law is amended by adding a new
     2  section 397-d to read as follows:
     3    § 397-d. Autonomous taxicabs. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of  law
     4  to  the  contrary, no autonomous vehicle may be used for taxi, livery or
     5  transportation network company vehicle services in any city with a popu-
     6  lation of one million or more without first being duly licensed  by  the
     7  New  York  city taxi and limousine commission as a taxicab as defined in
     8  section one hundred forty-eight-a of this chapter and section 19-502  of
     9  the administrative code of the city of New York.
    10    2.  No  autonomous vehicle shall be licensed by the New York city taxi
    11  and limousine commission to provide transportation for  hire  or  prear-
    12  ranged  trips,  unless  and  until  the New York city taxi and limousine
    13  commission establishes a license for the use of  an  autonomous  vehicle
    14  pursuant  to  subdivision  three of this section. The New York city taxi
    15  and limousine commission shall not license  any  autonomous  vehicle  to
    16  provide transportation for hire or prearranged trips unless that vehicle
    17  is  a  taxicab  as  defined in section one hundred forty-eight-a of this
    18  chapter and section 19-502 of the administrative code of the city of New
    19  York.
    20    3. Before licensing an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab, the  New  York
    21  city  taxi and limousine commission shall establish a license for use of
    22  an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab and shall promulgate rules  regarding
    23  such  license  and the operation of autonomous taxicabs. In promulgating

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01307-01-5

        S. 2688                             2

     1  such rules, the New York city taxi and limousine commission shall, at  a
     2  minimum, set requirements for the following:
     3    (a)  the process for issuing a license to use an autonomous vehicle as
     4  a taxicab;
     5    (b) the issuance of such licenses only to  owners  of  taxicab  medal-
     6  lions;
     7    (c)  the  number of such licenses to be issued and any restrictions on
     8  the number of licenses that may be issued to any one person or entity;
     9    (d) the safety standards for use of an autonomous vehicle as  a  taxi-
    10  cab;
    11    (e) the insurance required to use an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab;
    12    (f)  the  reporting to the New York city taxi and limousine commission
    13  of trip and revenue data, including the pickup  and  drop-off  location,
    14  mileage, and fare for each trip;
    15    (g)  the  vehicle  standards  for  such autonomous vehicles, including
    16  whether the vehicle is a wheelchair accessible  vehicle  or  a  low-  or
    17  zero-emissions vehicle; and
    18    (h)  such  other rules as the New York city taxi and limousine commis-
    19  sion considers to be necessary for the safe and orderly use of an auton-
    20  omous vehicle as a taxicab.
    21    4. The New York city taxi  and  limousine  commission  shall  deny  an
    22  application  for a license for use of an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab
    23  if such vehicle or applicant does not comply with the rules of  the  New
    24  York  city  taxi  and  limousine commission and, after due notice and an
    25  opportunity to be heard, may suspend or revoke a license for failure  to
    26  comply with such rules.
    27    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.