Sometimes good legislation gets stuck for various reasons. It could be due to influential donors blocking necessary laws or misguided opposition hindering progress. These conflicts are part of our imperfect democracy, often referred to as the “sausage-making” process.
However, what’s perplexing is the fact that state lawmakers have yet to pass a set of safety measures in response to the Schoharie limousine crash.
According to Times Union reporter Larry Rulison, these measures are not controversial and face no significant opposition. They are widely recognized as effective laws that would enhance road safety by addressing loopholes in the state’s regulation of stretch limousines.
Despite their non-controversial nature, these bills are stuck in the Assembly and have not progressed beyond the committee stage.
Did the lawmakers lose interest and abandon the issue? Are they incapable of mustering concern for something as seemingly unglamorous as limousine safety? It’s disconcerting to think that New York lawmakers, who are the highest paid in the nation, would neglect their responsibilities.
Let’s remember why these changes were proposed in the first place: a tragic incident five years ago claimed the lives of 20 individuals, including passengers, the driver, and bystanders. The crash occurred due to catastrophic brake failure in a hired limousine that veered into a ditch.
The bills in question are recommendations from the Stretch Limousine Passenger Safety Task Force, which was established to address deficiencies in state law and prevent future tragedies. Notably, the package has already passed with overwhelming support in the state Senate.
These bills would require limo drivers to provide a brief safety talk to passengers before each trip, similar to procedures followed by airlines. Additionally, stretch limousines would be mandated to have roll bars and fire extinguishers, there would be new criminal penalties for limo owners renting vehicles that fail inspections, and police and the Department of Transportation would receive expanded powers to quickly seize illegal vehicles.
The only mildly controversial bill would prevent the state from registering stretch limos older than 10 years or with more than 350,000 travel miles. However, all these bills are stuck in the Assembly’s transportation committee without any response from its chairman, William Magnarelli, a Syracuse Democrat.
Could someone please shake Mr. Magnarelli out of his complacency? It is essential to remind him and other lawmakers of the significance of this matter.
A responsible and proactive state government would have promptly recognized the gaps in the law and passed the necessary safety measures after the tragedy in 2018. Unfortunately, the task force took time to establish and begin its work, and now their recommendations are being neglected.
As emphasized by this editorial board before, the state continues to disregard the families who lost their loved ones due to an unfit limousine being on the road.
This is truly shameful. New York must do better. It’s time to pass the limo safety bills.
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