According to the bill sponsored by Democrat State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (Senate Bill S3662A), the so-called “minor violations,” the law would impact include traffic stops for vehicle safety violations such as inoperable signal lights, or faulty windshield wipers; administrative violations like expired registration tags; officer safety violations such as excessive window tinting; and even probable cause for Driving Under Intoxication from detection of the smell of marijuana. Non-moving violations such as jaywalking, littering, parking infractions, and violating bicycle safety laws are also included.
The text of the bill noted that evidence collected in violation of this law would be excluded from court as being illegally obtained.
Startlingly, the bill would require officers and law enforcement agencies to essentially prove a negative each time a claim is made that a stop was unlawful if: “the law enforcement officer would not have initiated the stop but for a person's race, creed, color, national origin or other status protected under the human rights law.”
The new bill would also require every law enforcement agency in the state to “furnish annually to the division of criminal justice services, in a manner defined and prescribed by the division, a report of all stops conducted in the prior year by officers employed by the agency,” a requirement which would vastly increase each department’s reporting requirements.
Retired NYPD Officer and YouTube Creator Paul Manicone was highly critical of the proposed bill in a post to X writing, "NYS Democrats introduced Senate Bill S3662A in order to promote 'Racial Equity.' It prevents cops from investigating those for busted headlights, taillights, expired registrations and inspections, window tint, littering and even the smell of marijuana. Get it? The Democrats are saying black drivers are more likely to disobey traffic laws and get high! Tell me you're a racist without telling me you're a racist!"
As reported by The New York Post, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly called the proposed law “ridiculous,” saying it would disproportionately impact Nassau County due to the high number of drivers and car accidents in the Long Island county.NYS Democrats introduced Senate Bill S3662A in order to promote “Racial Equity.” It prevents cops from investigating those for busted headlights, taillights, expired registrations and inspections, window tint, littering and even the smell of marijuana. Get it? The Democrats are… pic.twitter.com/29wdXuhX3p
— Paul Manicone (@JustRightPD) April 7, 2025
“When an officer walks up to a driver and asks them for their license and registration — they never know what is going to happen next,” Donnelly said. “It’s important to be able to make these legitimate stops. There is no such thing as a routine traffic stop.”
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman agreed with the assessment of the law as “ridiculous,” adding that in most instances police are unaware of the race of a traffic stop subject prior to the pull-over. “It’s just a bizarre argument, it’s pro-criminal,” Blakeman told the Post. “It doesn’t matter what race you are. If you’re breaking the law, then you’re breaking the law.”
