A 3981 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Relates to procedures relating to driving while ability impaired by drugs

Summary
Relates to procedures relating to driving while ability impaired by drugs; defines impairment and intoxication; updates procedures for field testing of drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs to include the use of oral/bodily fluid tests; provides that refusal to submit to such field tests is specified to be a traffic infraction; makes related provisions.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 30, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

A3981B A3981C · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to add Senator Jackson as a sponsor and to streamline the legislative history regarding its committee referrals. Substantively, the definition of 'impaired' driving was broadened to include any drug defined in the article, replacing specific references to cannabis and public health law substances. The definition of 'intoxication' was simplified to refer to any drug or substance combination, and the detailed list of prior laws amended in Section 3 was significantly condensed to reflect these updated definitions.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding drug impairment was expanded from a specific list of substances to a broader category of 'any drug' as defined by the article, while the procedural scope of the bill's committee history was extended with an additional referral.
DEFINITION

The definition of 'impaired' driving was changed from listing specific substances like cannabis and public health law drugs to a general reference to 'any drug' defined in the article.

The definition of 'intoxication' was simplified to apply to any drug or combination of substances, removing the specific enumeration of alcohol and public health law substances.

TECHNICAL

The list of specific prior laws amended in Section 3 was shortened and reorganized to align with the new, broader definitions of impairment and intoxication.

The legislative history was updated to reflect an additional committee referral and discharge cycle.

SCOPE

Senator Jackson was added to the list of bill sponsors.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
8
Key actions
6
Committee
2
Amendments
6
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
lower
Jun 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
PRINT NUMBER 3981C
lower
Jun 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO TRANSPORTATION
lower
Jun 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
PRINT NUMBER 3981B
lower
Jun 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO TRANSPORTATION
lower
Mar 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
PRINT NUMBER 3981A
lower
Mar 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO TRANSPORTATION
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
lower
1 primary · 68 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Bill Magnarelli
Bill Magnarelli
DDemocratic
NY
129
Co
Photo of Al Stirpe
Al Stirpe
DDemocratic
NY
127
Co
Photo of Al Taylor
Al Taylor
DDemocratic
NY
71
Co
Photo of Amanda Septimo
Amanda Septimo
DDemocratic/Working Families
NY
84
Co
Photo of Amy Paulin
Amy Paulin
DDemocratic
NY
88
Co
Photo of Andrew Hevesi
Andrew Hevesi
DDemocratic
NY
28
Co
Photo of Angelo Santabarbara
Angelo Santabarbara
DDemocratic
NY
111
Co
Photo of Anna Kelles
Anna Kelles
DDemocratic/Working Families
NY
125
Co
Photo of Aron Wieder
Aron Wieder
DDemocratic
NY
97
Co
Photo of Bill Conrad
Bill Conrad
DDemocratic/Independence/Working Families
NY
140
Co
Photo of Brian Cunningham
Brian Cunningham
DDemocratic
NY
43