Insurance Updates

Governor Hochul Signed Our Bill 9/15/23!

Ithaca Carshare Will Reopen in March, 2024

Illustration of an orange carshare car in front of a waterfall

The Issue

For nonprofits in New York, finding auto insurance is a struggle.

For Ithaca Carshare, it’s a crisis.

That’s why assembly member Anna Kelles and Senator Lea Webb introduced A.5718/S.5959, which passed the NYS legislature on June 9, 2023.

This bill has the potential to save Ithaca, Albany, and Rochester carshares, help get one going again in Buffalo, and help ALL nonprofits in the state get auto insurance, but ONLY if Governor Hochul signs the bill.

There is a 6-month waiting period after she signs it before it goes into effect, so we need her to sign it right away!

Read on below for how you can take action.

Not sure what the issue is? Start with our FAQ page.

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Individuals & Members

If you’re an individual living in New York State, there are several things you can do.

Update August 4: It is now imperative the Governor sign the bill right away in order for Ithaca Carshare to avoid closing. Read our latest media release here: Ithaca Carshare May be Forced to Close Waiting for Governor’s Signature.

Please contact the governor and urge her to sign the bill immediately! We’ve provided a template email/letter here. You can also call her office at 518-474-8390, and leave a message with her staff urging her to sign A.5718 immediately. You can find a phone script here from our phone relay in July.

Update June 14: The bill passed June 9! Now we need the governor to sign it. Please join another phone relay June 14 and 15 to call Governor Hochul’s office and ask her to sign the bill immediately. We’re so happy that it passed, but there will be a 6-month waiting period after she signs it, so we need her to sign right away!

NYS Nonprofits & Organizations

If you run or work for a business or nonprofit organization in New York State who would like to sign on to our Memo of Support for bill A.5718/S.5959, please contact Liz Field, Ithaca Carshare director, at liz@ithacacarshare.org.

In addition to Ithaca Carshare, the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON), the New York Public Transit Association, Mobility Development Operations, Cornell Department of Transportation, and numerous other organizations have co-signed this Memo.

You can find and download the Memo of Support here. We’re constantly updating the Memo with the names of organizational supporters, and sharing this document with legislators.

Update June 5, 2023: If you’re a public official or run a transit agency, you can write Assembly Speaker in support of A.5718. We need public officials to speak out on behalf of carshares in their communities, such as Ithaca Mayor Laura Lewis did in this letter to assembly leadership she wrote last week.