S5276-2011 - NY Senate Open Legislation - Directs the commissioner of motor vehicles to establish a next of kin registry for holders of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and non-driver identification

Directs the commissioner of motor vehicles to establish a next of kin registry for holders of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and non-driver identification cards: such holders may submit their emergency contact information to be used by police in the event the holder is injured or killed.

Sponsor: RITCHIE / Co-sponsor(s): KLEIN / Committee: TRANSPORTATION
Law Section: Vehicle and Traffic Law / Law: Add SS215-a & 606, V & T L

S5276-2011 Actions

Jun 19, 2012: referred to transportation
Jun 19, 2012: DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
Jun 19, 2012: PASSED SENATE
May 21, 2012: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
May 16, 2012: 2ND REPORT CAL.
May 15, 2012: 1ST REPORT CAL.777
Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
May 3, 2011: REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

S5276-2011 Meetings

Transportation: May 15, 2012

S5276-2011 Calendars

Active List: Jun 19, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 16, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 21, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 22, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 23, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 30, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 31, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 4, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 5, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 6, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 11, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 12, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 13, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 14, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 18, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Jun 19, 2012

S5276-2011 Votes

VOTE: COMMITTEE VOTE: - Transportation - May 15, 2012

Ayes (18): Fuschillo, Johnson, Larkin, Maziarz, McDonald, Nozzolio, Ranzenhofer, Robach, Young, Zeldin, Adams, Diaz, Kennedy, Perkins, Smith, Squadron, Stavisky, Valesky
Ayes W/R (1): Dilan

VOTE: FLOOR VOTE: - Jun 19, 2012

Ayes (59): Adams, Addabbo, Avella, Ball, Bonacic, Breslin, Carlucci, DeFrancisco, Diaz, Dilan, Duane, Farley, Flanagan, Fuschillo, Gallivan, Gianaris, Golden, Griffo, Grisanti, Hannon, Hassell-Thomps, Johnson, Kennedy, Klein, Krueger, Lanza, Larkin, LaValle, Libous, Little, Marcellino, Martins, Maziarz, McDonald, Montgomery, Nozzolio, O'Mara, Oppenheimer, Parker, Peralta, Perkins, Ranzenhofer, Ritchie, Rivera, Robach, Saland, Sampson, Savino, Serrano, Seward, Skelos, Smith, Squadron, Stavisky, Stewart-Cousin, Storobin, Valesky, Young, Zeldin
Excused (3): Alesi, Espaillat, Huntley

S5276-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S5276

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing a next
of kin registry for holders of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and
non-driver identification cards

PURPOSE:
To create a "next of kin registry" in the State of New York.

SUMMARY:
Section 1 amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law by adding a new section
(215-a) in order to require the commissioner of the Department of
Motor Vehicles to establish and operate a statewide internet site to
be known as the "next of kin registry." The commissioner of the
Department of Motor Vehicles will be required to create a system by
which the license/ID holder can sign in using their card number and
add emergency contacts who are 18 years or older. The emergency
contact will be contacted by an investigating police officer in the
event of an accident pursuant to the new Section 606 of the Vehicle
and Traffic Law provided for in Section 2 of this legislation.

Section 2 creates a new Section 606 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law in
order to provide for appropriate times an investigating police
officer should attempt to contact the emergency contact provided for
in the "next of kin registry" including any event resulting in
physical injury, death, or incapacitation.

Section 3 provides the act take effect on the one hundred eightieth
day after it shall have become law; provided, that, effective
immediately, any actions necessary to implement the provisions of
this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be
completed on or before such date.

JUSTIFICATION:
When there is a motor vehicle accident, family members of the victims
should be informed in a timely manner.

Current law provides no way for police officers to find contact
information for a victims' emergency contacts in the event of an
accident.

This bill amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law by adding a new section
(215-a) in order to establish a statewide internet site to be known
as the "next of kin registry." Holders of drivers' licenses,
learners' permits and non..driver identification cards will be able
to visit the website and use their card number to register up to two
emergency contacts. The emergency contacts must be 18 years or older.
In the event of an accident resulting in physical injury, death, or
incapacitation, the investigating police officer will then attempt to
contact the emergency contact(s) provided for in the online registry.

This bill includes a specific provision to protect registrants from
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Law. Only police officers
is the specific instances outlined in this bill will be permitted to


access emergency contact information provided in the "next of kin
registry."

Motor vehicle accidents can be traumatic for the victims and their
family members. It is inexcusable in this technological age that
there be anything preventing the quick notice of a victims' next of
kin in the event there is an accident resulting in physical injury,
death, or incapacitation. This legislation will allow New York
State's Department of Motor Vehicles to apply a similar system to
other state's online registry's for "next of kin" emergency contacts.

HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPACT:
Minimal.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become law;
provided, that, effective immediately, any actions necessary to
implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are
authorized and directed to be completed on or before such date.

S5276-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
                                          5276
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 May 3, 2011
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
 a next of kin registry for holders  of  drivers'  licenses,  learners'
 permits and non-driver identification cards
 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 215-a to read as follows:

 

S 215-A. NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY. 1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH AND
 OPERATE,  WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AN AUTOMATED, STATEWIDE INTERNET ACCES
 SIBLE WEBSITE TO BE KNOWN AS THE "NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY".  SUCH  REGISTRY
 SHALL BE CAPABLE OF STORING EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE HOLDERS
 OF  DRIVERS'  LICENSES,  LEARNERS' PERMITS AND NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION
 CARDS TO BE ACCESSIBLE  BY  POLICE  OFFICERS  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  SIX
 HUNDRED SIX OF THIS CHAPTER. ANY HOLDER OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE, LEARNER'S
 PERMIT  OR NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION CARD MAY VOLUNTARILY SUBMIT, VIA AN
 INTERNET WEBSITE ESTABLISHED THEREFOR, THE NAMES,  ADDRESSES  AND  TELE
 PHONE NUMBERS OF TWO EMERGENCY CONTACTS FOR INCLUSION IN THE NEXT OF KIN
 REGISTRY.
 2. IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY, THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL  ESTABLISH  A  PROCESS  WHEREBY  ANY HOLDER OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE,
 LEARNER'S PERMIT OR NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION  CARD  MAY  ELECTRONICALLY
 SIGN  INTO  THE  DEPARTMENT  INTERNET  WEBSITE USING HIS OR HER LICENSE,
 PERMIT OR CARD NUMBER. THEREAFTER, SUCH HOLDER  MAY  ENTER  HIS  OR  HER
 EMERGENCY  CONTACT  INFORMATION  FOR NOT MORE THAN TWO EMERGENCY CONTACT
 PERSONS, OR MAY REVISE OR UPDATE PREVIOUSLY  ENTERED  EMERGENCY  CONTACT
 INFORMATION.
 3.  INFORMATION  IN  THE  NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE
 SOLELY FOR THE USE OF POLICE OFFICERS PURSUANT TO  SECTION  SIX  HUNDRED
 SIX  OF  THIS CHAPTER. THE INFORMATION IN THE NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY SHALL
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD11232-01-1
        S. 5276                             2
 BE DEEMED TO BE CONFIDENTIAL AND SHALL  NOT  BE  SUBJECT  TO  DISCLOSURE
 PURSUANT TO ARTICLE SIX OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW.
 4.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "EMERGENCY CONTACT" SHALL MEAN
 ANY PERSON, EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, DESIGNATED BY THE HOLDER  OF
 A  DRIVER'S  LICENSE, LEARNER'S PERMIT OR NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION CARD
 TO BE CONTACTED BY A POLICE AGENCY WHEN SUCH HOLDER IS  RENDERED  UNABLE
 TO COMMUNICATE DUE TO PHYSICAL INJURY, DEATH OR INCAPACITATION.
 

S  2.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
 606 to read as follows:

 

S 606. NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY CONTACTS. WHEN A MOTOR VEHICLE  ACCI
 DENT  OR  ANY OTHER EVENT RESULTS IN PHYSICAL INJURY, DEATH OR INCAPACI
 TATION OF ANY PERSON, THE POLICE OFFICER INVESTIGATING SUCH ACCIDENT  OR
 EVENT SHALL ATTEMPT TO LOCATE AN EMERGENCY CONTACT OF THE INJURED PERSON
 FROM  THE  NEXT  OF  KIN  REGISTRY  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO
 HUNDRED FIFTEEN-A OF THIS CHAPTER. A POLICE OFFICER SHALL, WHEN  PRACTI
 CABLE,  EXPEDITIOUSLY  NOTIFY  AN EMERGENCY CONTACT OF EACH SUCH INJURED
 PERSON AND INFORM  THE  EMERGENCY  CONTACT  OF  THE  HOSPITAL  OR  OTHER
 LOCATION AT WHICH THE INJURED PERSON HAS BEEN TAKEN.
 

S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall  have become a law; provided, that, effective immediately, any
 actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its  effec
 tive  date are authorized and directed to be completed on or before such
 date.

S5276-2011: Directs the commissioner of motor vehicles to establish a next of kin registry for holders of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and non-driver identification