Bill Text: NY A08021 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Bill 8021 (Prior Session Legislation)

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 in the event the holder is injured or killed.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-04 - referred to transportation [A08021 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-A08021-Introduced.html

                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         8021
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                     May 27, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. GALEF, P. RIVERA, MONTESANO, CERETTO -- read once
         and referred 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:
    1    Section  1.  The  vehicle  and  traffic law is amended by adding a new
    2  section 215-a to read as follows:
    3    S 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  PURSUANT TO SECTION SIX
    9  HUNDRED SIX OF THIS CHAPTER. ANY HOLDER OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE, LEARNER'S
   10  PERMIT OR NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION CARD MAY VOLUNTARILY SUBMIT, VIA  AN
   11  INTERNET  WEBSITE  ESTABLISHED  THEREFOR, THE NAMES, ADDRESSES AND TELE-
   12  PHONE NUMBERS OF TWO EMERGENCY CONTACTS FOR INCLUSION IN THE NEXT OF KIN
   13  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 PURSUANT TO SECTION SIX HUNDRED
   24  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
       A. 8021                             2
    1  BE  DEEMED  TO  BE  CONFIDENTIAL  AND SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE
    2  PURSUANT TO ARTICLE SIX OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW.
    3    4.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "EMERGENCY CONTACT" SHALL MEAN
    4  ANY PERSON, EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, DESIGNATED BY THE HOLDER  OF
    5  A  DRIVER'S  LICENSE, LEARNER'S PERMIT OR NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION CARD
    6  TO BE CONTACTED BY A POLICE AGENCY WHEN SUCH HOLDER IS  RENDERED  UNABLE
    7  TO COMMUNICATE DUE TO PHYSICAL INJURY, DEATH OR INCAPACITATION.
    8    S  2.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
    9  606 to read as follows:
   10    S 606. NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY CONTACTS. WHEN A MOTOR VEHICLE  ACCI-
   11  DENT  OR  ANY OTHER EVENT RESULTS IN PHYSICAL INJURY, DEATH OR INCAPACI-
   12  TATION OF ANY PERSON, THE POLICE OFFICER INVESTIGATING SUCH ACCIDENT  OR
   13  EVENT SHALL ATTEMPT TO LOCATE AN EMERGENCY CONTACT OF THE INJURED PERSON
   14  FROM  THE  NEXT  OF  KIN  REGISTRY  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO
   15  HUNDRED FIFTEEN-A OF THIS CHAPTER. A POLICE OFFICER SHALL, WHEN  PRACTI-
   16  CABLE,  EXPEDITIOUSLY  NOTIFY  AN EMERGENCY CONTACT OF EACH SUCH INJURED
   17  PERSON AND INFORM  THE  EMERGENCY  CONTACT  OF  THE  HOSPITAL  OR  OTHER
   18  LOCATION AT WHICH THE INJURED PERSON HAS BEEN TAKEN.
   19    S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
   20  it  shall  have become a law; provided, that, effective immediately, any
   21  actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its  effec-
   22  tive  date are authorized and directed to be completed on or before such
   23  date.