Int 0051-2004

Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 6 of the administrative code of the city of New York is hereby amended by adding a new section 6-129 to read as follows: §6-129 Sport Utility Vehicles. a. For the purposes of this section: (i) the term “sport utility vehicle” shall be defined as any passenger-carrying motor vehicle weighing over six thousand pounds not intended primarily for load-carrying or mass transportation purposes, and (ii) the term “emergency service vehicle” shall be defined as any ambulance, police department vehicle other than a patrol car or fire department vehicle used to extinguish fires or transport people to and from such fire emergencies. b. No sport utility vehicle shall be purchased, leased or rented by the city of New York, provided, however, that the city may continue to use sport utility vehicles which are subject to leases or rental agreements existing on the date this law becomes effective, without extension or renewal. The city of New York shall also institute a program to phase out all sport utility vehicles in its fleet of owned and leased cars within three years after the enactment of this law. This section shall not apply to the purchase, lease or rental of emergency service vehicles. This section shall not apply to a vehicle that is assigned and used to perform specific functions that would normally require the use of a sport utility vehicle, as determined by the commissioner of the department of citywide services or that is determined by the commissioner of the police department to be necessary for the safety of a city employee or officer. §2. This local law shall take effect immediately.