Bill Text: NY S01373 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: 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 and medical services in the event the holder is injured or killed.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION [S01373 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S01373-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          1373
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                    January 14, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced by Sens. RITCHIE, GALLIVAN -- 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 and to  authorize  certain
          medical providers to access such registry
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
     2  section 215-a to read as follows:
     3    § 215-a. Next of kin registry. 1. The commissioner shall establish and
     4  operate,  within the department, an automated, statewide internet acces-
     5  sible website to be known as the "next of kin registry".  Such  registry
     6  shall be capable of storing emergency contact information of the holders
     7  of  drivers'  licenses,  learners' permits and non-driver identification
     8  cards to be accessible by police officers,  emergency  medical  services
     9  and  treating  physicians  pursuant to section six hundred seven of this
    10  chapter. Any holder of a driver's license, learner's permit or  non-dri-
    11  ver  identification card may voluntarily submit, via an internet website
    12  established therefor, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of  two
    13  emergency contacts for inclusion in the next of kin registry.
    14    2. In the implementation of the next of kin registry, the commissioner
    15  shall  establish  a  process  whereby  any holder of a driver's license,
    16  learner's permit or non-driver identification  card  may  electronically
    17  sign  into  the  department  internet  website using his or her license,
    18  permit or card number. Thereafter, such holder  may  enter  his  or  her
    19  emergency  contact  information  for not more than two emergency contact
    20  persons, or may revise or update previously  entered  emergency  contact
    21  information.
    22    3.  Information  in  the  next of kin registry shall be made available
    23  solely for the use of police officers, emergency  medical  services  and
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03919-01-9

        S. 1373                             2
     1  treating  physicians pursuant to section six hundred seven of this chap-
     2  ter. The information in the next of kin registry shall be deemed  to  be
     3  confidential  and shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant to article
     4  six of the public officers law.
     5    4.  For  the  purposes of this section, "emergency contact" shall mean
     6  any person, eighteen years of age or older, designated by the holder  of
     7  a  driver's  license, learner's permit or non-driver identification card
     8  to be contacted by a police agency when such holder is  rendered  unable
     9  to communicate due to physical injury, death or incapacitation.
    10    §  2.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
    11  607 to read as follows:
    12    § 607. Notification of emergency contacts. When a motor vehicle  acci-
    13  dent  or  any other event results in physical injury, death or incapaci-
    14  tation of any person, the police officer investigating such accident  or
    15  event shall attempt to locate an emergency contact of the injured person
    16  from  the  next  of  kin  registry  established  pursuant to section two
    17  hundred fifteen-a of this chapter. A police officer shall, when  practi-
    18  cable,  expeditiously  notify  an emergency contact of each such injured
    19  person and inform  the  emergency  contact  of  the  hospital  or  other
    20  location at which the injured person has been taken.
    21    § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    22  it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
    23  ly, any actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its
    24  effective  date are authorized and directed to be completed on or before
    25  such date.
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