NEW YORK (VINnews) – New Legislation, sponsored by Senator Simcha Felder and Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, was signed into law by Governor Hochul last Friday. The bill will allow Hatzalah members to respond more effectively during emergencies. It represents a huge victory for Hatzalah members and other medical emergency first responders who often had to fight red light, speeding, and bus lane camera tickets while legally rushing to an emergency. This new legislation will ensure that Hatzalah members will no longer have to worry about incurring traffic violations and fines as they rush to save lives.
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When responding to life threatening emergencies, time is of the essence and every minute counts. Yet Hatzalah members were routinely being slapped with unnecessary and undeserved traffic violations incurred while rushing to patients. This new bill will ensure that operators of first-response emergency vehicles in the City of New York will no longer have to worry about monetary penalties while responding to a medical emergency.
The bill is more important now than ever as New York City is set to begin operating speed cameras in the five boroughs 24/7 as of August 1st.
“Hatzalah volunteers are local heroes! Every single one of us is grateful for their selfless, lifesaving work. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week -even through a pandemic- nothing stops them. Who would have thought that camera tickets generated while rushing to respond to emergencies are the biggest challenge they face? I am grateful to my colleagues and Governor Hochul; together, we helped the people who help us every day. Today, we all have a hand in Hatzalah’s lifesaving work by helping EMS volunteers focus on saving lives without the mounting burden of camera tickets,” said Senator Felder.
“This is a huge win for our heroic Hatzalah volunteers as well as all medical first responders. When it comes to saving a life, every minute counts. That’s precisely why it’s so important that Hatzalah volunteers reach patients as quickly and efficiently as possible, without having to worry about monetary fines.” said Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein. “I am thankful and delighted that Governor Hochul signed our bill into law, recognizing that emergency medical first responders should be allowed to operate without concern of traffic violations.”
“Hatzalah is grateful to our special and caring representatives in Albany for recognizing this issue that affects their constituents and then following up with all the necessary parties and carrying through to enact positive legislation to answer the need!,” said Rabbi Yehiel Kalish, CEO of Hatzalah. “It’s not just that Assemblyman Eichenstein and Senator Felder care. They care and they act effectively!”
Nevertheless , don’t break champagne for Hochul. Get this criminal friendly pol out of office.
Hatzoloh makes Jews proud. There isn’t such an organization in the non-Jewish world.
They arrive on a call within seconds all to rescue a fell Yid.
And guess what, this is mostly run by uneducated Yeshiva students!
For democrats everyone is equal but some are more equal than others. they can talk equity and equality while creating entitled groups that better remember and pay back when called upon. This is how mafias operate. The truth is that these cameras do not make it safer. The are there to rob the populace in but one of many way they manage to tax the sheeple.
Very nice, but G-d forbid they should have the guts to fight to remove all the 2 second red light and “speed” (over 25 mph lol) cameras that punish and rob all new yorkers on a daily basis. (Legal) thievery is exactly what it is. Then again, that’s Democrats for you. Must be a great way to catch the driver of your stolen car.
Who do you think put the cameras up????
Does this apply to Chavarim, Shmira, Shomrim, Chavivim?
I don’t care if she created slice bread get rid of this demonic leftist Democrat who will make nothing but problems for the orthodox Jewish community in a long run..
does this new allowance also apply to ezras nashim hotzolah?
Keep voting democrat if you want more common sense laws like this!