New York Senate Bill S09168

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/10/26
• Refer: 2/10/26

Caption

Provides distinctive license plates for the parents, spouses, children, step-children, siblings, step-siblings, and grandparents of police officers killed in the line of duty; eliminates the registration fee for family member distinctive license plates.

Summary

S09168 would amend the New York vehicle and traffic law to create a new distinctive license plate for family members of police officers killed in the line of duty. Eligible applicants include a parent, spouse of a parent, surviving spouse, child, step-child, sibling, step-sibling, or grandparent of the fallen officer who resides in New York. The plate would bear the words “police officer killed in the line of duty family.” The bill also allows additional plates for vehicles registered to eligible family members and directs the commissioner to establish the application process and proof requirements. In addition, it eliminates both the registration fee and any service charge for these plates. The act would take effect 90 days after becoming law, with immediate authorization for any needed rules or regulations.

Impact

The bill would add a new section 404-ff to the Vehicle and Traffic Law and create a fee exemption for a new class of distinctive plates. It would affect the Department of Motor Vehicles by requiring it to administer applications, verify eligibility, and issue plates without charging the usual registration fee or service charge. The practical impact is limited to qualifying family members of police officers killed in the line of duty, who would receive a commemorative plate at no cost.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the measure appears to be framed as a recognition and support bill for families of fallen police officers. The caption and language suggest a generally favorable, honorific intent rather than a controversial policy change. No contrary positions are documented in the provided materials.

Contention

No committee transcripts or vote records were provided, so there is no documented opposition or amendment debate to identify. The main policy choice embedded in the bill is the scope of eligibility: it extends the plate benefit beyond immediate family to include step-relatives and grandparents, and it waives all fees for the plates. Any contention, if raised, would likely center on the breadth of eligible relatives, the fee exemption, or whether the state should create a special plate category for this group.