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S3240 • 2025

Relates to drivers of school buses using hands-free mobile telephones

Relates to drivers of school buses using hands-free mobile telephones

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Jeremy Cooney
Last action
2026-06-05
Official status
In Senate Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Relates to drivers of school buses using hands-free mobile telephones

Relates to drivers of school buses using hands-free mobile telephones Prohibits drivers of school buses that are carrying students from using hands-free mobile telephones; provides for certain exceptions.

What This Bill Does

  • Relates to drivers of school buses using hands-free mobile telephones Prohibits drivers of school buses that are carrying students from using hands-free mobile telephones; provides for certain exceptions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-05 Senate

    COMMITTED TO RULES

  2. 2026-02-09 Senate

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

  3. 2026-02-05 Senate

    2ND REPORT CAL.

  4. 2026-02-04 Senate

    1ST REPORT CAL.247

  5. 2026-01-15 Senate

    AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO TRANSPORTATION

  6. 2026-01-15 Senate

    PRINT NUMBER 3240A

  7. 2026-01-07 Senate

    REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

  8. 2025-06-13 Senate

    COMMITTED TO RULES

  9. 2025-05-15 Senate

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

  10. 2025-05-14 Senate

    2ND REPORT CAL.

  11. 2025-05-13 Senate

    1ST REPORT CAL.1070

  12. 2025-01-24 Senate

    REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

Official Summary Text

Relates to drivers of school buses using hands-free mobile telephones
Prohibits drivers of school buses that are carrying students from using hands-free mobile telephones; provides for certain exceptions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          3240

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                    January 24, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by Sens. COONEY, GALLIVAN -- 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  drivers  of
          school  buses that are carrying students using hands-free mobile tele-
          phones

          THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section  1. Subdivision 2 of section 1225-c of the vehicle and traffic
     2  law is amended by adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
     3    (E) NO DRIVER OF A SCHOOL  BUS  AS  DEFINED  IN  SECTION  ONE  HUNDRED
     4  FORTY-TWO  OF THIS CHAPTER SHALL USE A HANDS-FREE MOBILE TELEPHONE WHILE
     5  OPERATING A SCHOOL BUS THAT IS CARRYING STUDENTS EXCEPT IN THE  CASE  OF
     6  AN  EMERGENCY  PURSUANT  TO  PARAGRAPH  (A) OF SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS
     7  SECTION OR IF THE SCHOOL BUS IS PARKED, FOR PURPOSES OTHER THAN DROPPING
     8  OFF OR PICKING UP STUDENTS, AT THE SIDE OF, OR OFF, A PUBLIC HIGHWAY  IN
     9  A  LOCATION WHERE SUCH VEHICLE IS NOT OTHERWISE PROHIBITED FROM STOPPING
    10  BY LAW, RULE, REGULATION OR ANY LAWFUL ORDER OR DIRECTION  OF  A  POLICE
    11  OFFICER.
    12    §  2.  Subdivision 3 of section 1225-c of the vehicle and traffic law,
    13  as added by chapter 69 of the laws  of  2001,  is  amended  to  read  as
    14  follows:
    15    3. Subdivision two of this section shall not apply to (a) the use of a
    16  mobile  telephone  for the sole purpose of communicating with any of the
    17  following regarding an emergency situation: an emergency response opera-
    18  tor; a hospital, physician's  office  or  health  clinic;  an  ambulance
    19  company  or  corps;  a fire department, district or company; or a police
    20  department, (b) any of the following persons while in the performance of
    21  their official duties: a police officer or peace officer; a member of  a
    22  fire  department,  district or company; or the operator of an authorized
    23  emergency vehicle as defined in section one hundred one of this chapter,
    24  or (c) the use of a hands-free mobile telephone, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF A

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00791-01-5
        S. 3240                             2

     1  DRIVER OPERATING A SCHOOL BUS PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (E)  OF  SUBDIVISION
     2  TWO OF THIS SECTION.
     3    §  3.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
     4  have become a law.