City lawmakers quickly dropped legislation decriminalizing jaywalking on Thursday, citing an internal disagreement about how liable drivers should be when they hit a pedestrian outside a crosswalk.

Crosswalk.Photo byMichał ParzuchowskionUnsplash

The bill, approved by the Council's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday, sought to prohibit the NYPD from ticketing individuals for illegally crossing the street, a practice that, according to municipal statistics, disproportionately affects people of color in New York.

Public defenders and supporters of street safety withdrew their support for the proposal when council members introduced a last-minute amendment that would have given drivers who hit pedestrians legal cover.

Things Are Still Being Discussed

The bill was not brought to a full vote in the chamber on Thursday by Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who stated that "things are still being discussed" and that the legislation was still in the legislative process.

Days after senators amended language to the bill that would still result in legal consequences for jaywalking if a person failed to "yield to other traffic that has the right of way," the bill was pushed back.

The updated version also included language requiring the city transportation department to run a street safety education campaign to warn New Yorkers not to drive while out on the street.