People v. Kavanaugh

133 Misc. 2d 689, 507 N.Y.S.2d 952, 1986 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2929
CourtSuffolk County District Court
DecidedOctober 15, 1986
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 133 Misc. 2d 689 (People v. Kavanaugh) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Suffolk County District Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Kavanaugh, 133 Misc. 2d 689, 507 N.Y.S.2d 952, 1986 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2929 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1986).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Anthony R. Corso, J.

The defendant is charged with violating regulations made pursuant to Transportation Law § 14-f, the transportation of hazardous materials. He is charged operating with improper placarding, operating with improper shipping papers, operating with defective steering, and operating with insufficient air pressure in violation of 49 CFR 177.823, 177.817, 396.3 (a) (1) and 393.50 (a) as adopted in 17 NYCRR 507.4. The defendant moves to dismiss for insufficiency of the accusatory instruments and on the grounds that the statute defining the offense is unconstitutional or otherwise invalid. (See, CPL 170.35 [1] [a], [c].)

The defendant claims that the informations are insufficient on their face in that they do not contain factual allegations establishing each element of the offense and the defendant’s commission thereof. (See, CPL 100.40 [1] [c].) The prosecutor, on the contrary, denies that the accusatory instruments are informations and claims that they are simplified informations, sufficient without any factual allegations. (See, CPL 100.40 [2]; 100.25.) In the recent case of People v Corn (NYLJ, Nov. 13, 1985, p 15, col 3) the Appellate Term, Second Department, found that the form of the instrument used in the instant case could be used as a simplified traffic information. An issue not raised by the parties is whether a simplified information may be used for violations of the Transportation Law. A simplified traffic information may be used for traffic infractions and misdemeanors relating to traffic. (See, CPL 100.10 [2] [a].) In People v Ferri (106 Misc 2d 311), the defendant was charged on simplified traffic information with operating a truck without a highway use tax permit in violation of Tax Law § 512 (1) (a). The court found that the simplified traffic information can be used to accommodate offenses found in statutes other than the Vehicle and Traffic Law that relate to traffic. The same conclusion is reached in this matter as it [691]*691pertains to a violation of the Transportation Law and therefore this branch of the defendant’s motion is denied.

As to the second branch of the motion, the defendant makes a number of claims as to the unconstitutionality of the statutory framework and the court will address each issue that is raised. With respect to the statutory framework, in 1975, Congress enacted the Federal Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (49 USC § 1801 et seq.) authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to make certain regulations defining hazardous materials and how they should be regulated. Further, in 49 USC § 1811 (a), Congress declared that any requirement of a State or a subdivision thereof which is inconsistent with any requirement of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act or with a regulation issued under the act, is preempted by the Federal law.

In accordance with the above, the New York Legislature enacted Transportation Law § 14-f, which empowered the Commissioner of Transportation to make rules and regulations and made it unlawful to transport hazardous materials in violation of such rules and regulations. Further, Transportation Law § 14-f (1) (a) provides that such rules and regulations shall be no less protective of public safety than the rules and regulations promulgated by the Federal Government with respect to the transportation of hazardous waste materials, thereby avoiding preemption by the Federal law.

In furtherance of the statute, the Commissioner of Transportation enacted rules and regulations in 17 NYCRR part 507, Transportation of Hazardous Materials. In 17 NYCRR 507.4 (a), the Commissioner adopted parts 171 through 179 and 390 through 397 of title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, revised as of November 1, 1983, as the standards for transporting hazardous materials.

The defendant first claims that the incorporation by reference of Federal regulations into the State regulations violates the NY Constitution, article III, § 16. That section reads: "No act shall be passed which shall provide that any existing law, or any part thereof, shall be made or deemed a part of said act, or which shall enact that any existing law, or part thereof, shall be applicable, except by inserting it in such act.”

Initially, legislative enactments are presumed valid and the burden is upon the person attacking the validity of the statute that it is unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt. (See, Matter of Van Berkel v Power, 16 NY2d 37; People v Perez, 56 [692]*692Misc 2d 424.) Further, the proscription of NY Constitution, article III, § 16 applies to statutes and not to rules or regulations. The purpose of the provision is to prevent the incorporation into legislative enactments, by mere reference to some existing statute, a clause or provision affecting public or private interests to an extent or in a manner not disclosed upon the face of the act, and of which the legislators might be ignorant of at the time. (See, People ex rel. Commissioners v Banks, 67 NY 568; People ex rel. New York Elec. Lines Co. v Squire, 107 NY 593, affd 145 US 175.) A further indication that this provision is not applicable to rules and regulations made by a commissioner is found in NY Constitution, article III, § 21. This section provides that section 16 of article III is not applicable to a bill, or amendment to a bill, which is recommended to the Legislature by commissioners or public agency appointed or directed pursuant to law to prepare revisions, consolidations or compilations of statutes.

Next, the defendant claims that Transportation Law § 14-f and 17 NYCRR 507.4 are unconstitutionally vague and indefinite. The defendant does not point to any phrase or wording as being vague or indefinite. The defendant’s real complaint is that the Federal regulations referred to in 17 NYCRR 507.4 are inaccessible and the defendant attempts to convert this complaint into a constitutional objection. Statutes should be clear and positive, giving unequivocal warning of the rule to be obeyed. (See, People v Firth, 3 NY2d 472.) Unless the statute is clear and positive, it leaves virtually unfettered discretion in the hands of law enforcement officials and thereby may encourage arbitrary and discriminatory administration. (See, People v Illardo, 48 NY2d 408.) Clearly, the statutory framework of Transportation Law § 14-f is clear and positive and leaves no discretion for arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement.

The defendant also claimed that the Commissioner was not empowered by Transportation Law § 14-f to adopt Federal regulations, but must develop an entirely new set of rules and regulations de novo. Transportation Law § 14-f (1) (a) reads in part:

"Have the power to make rules and regulations governing transportation of hazardous materials * * *

"Such rules and regulations shall, be no less protective of public safety than the rules and regulations promulgated by the federal government with respect to the transportation of hazardous materials.”

[693]*693The Commissioner concluded that the best way to comply with the mandate of the statute would be to adopt by reference the regulations of the Federal Government. In Matter of Tommy & Tina v Department of Consumer Affairs (95 AD2d 724, affd

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Bluebook (online)
133 Misc. 2d 689, 507 N.Y.S.2d 952, 1986 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2929, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-kavanaugh-nydistctsuffolk-1986.