Bill > A06631

This bill restricts law enforcement officers from initiating traffic stops for minor or "secondary" violations of the vehicle and traffic law, such as having an expired registration, faulty windshield wipers, or improperly displayed license plate lights. The bill defines 24 specific secondary violations that cannot be the primary reason for a traffic stop, with some exceptions for commercial vehicles or when an officer has already stopped a vehicle for a primary violation. The legislation requires law enforcement agencies to collect detailed data on all traffic stops, including information about the officer, the reason for the stop, the perceived race and demographics of the person stopped, and actions taken during the stop. Officers must now obtain explicit consent for vehicle searches and are prohibited from using the smell of cannabis as a basis for searching a vehicle. If evidence is obtained through a stop based solely on a secondary violation, that evidence will be inadmissible in court. The bill aims to reduce racial profiling and unnecessary traffic stops by limiting the reasons officers can stop and search individuals, and by mandating transparent reporting of traffic stop data, which will be made publicly available by the division of criminal justice services.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6631