S2515A

The Senate voted to reconsider passage of S2515A, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law, sponsored by Sen. Ramos. Following the reconsideration motion by Sen. Serrano, the bill was restored to the Third Reading Calendar. Sen. Serrano subsequently offered amendments to the legislation, which were received by the chamber. The bill retained its place on the Third Reading Calendar pending further action.

The New York State Senate passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Ramos to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law, creating scramble crosswalks designed to improve pedestrian safety for children traveling to and from school. The bill passed on a roll call vote, 63-0. Ramos spoke emotionally in support of the measure, citing the deaths of 18 children in New York City traffic violence during 2022, including victims from Brooklyn, Queens, and her own district in the Bronx. She named 16 of the victims and referenced two additional children whose identities remain unknown. The legislation would implement scramble crosswalks—intersections where all traffic signals turn red simultaneously for a brief period—to allow pedestrians, particularly children and school crossing guards, to cross safely during school arrival and dismissal times. Ramos, who first ran for Senate in 2018 following the death of a young constituent named Giovanni Ampuero, said the bill "will save lives, and it will especially save our children's lives." The measure takes effect 90 days after becoming law.