BILL NUMBER: S1706

SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to requiring weather radios in motor vehicles sold within the
state with a model year of 2022 or later

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF THE BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, requiring weather radios to
be mandatory in automobile sales across the state beginning with all
2022 models sold to enhance public safety as deadly severe weather is
becoming the norm in New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1., Article 9 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law is amended by
adding a new section 384 to read as follows:

All new model vehicles sold beginning model year 2021 must have a weath-
er radio installed as part of its audio system.
              

Weather radio is defined as a feature, capable of receiving national
oceanic and atmospheric administration's (NOAA) daily weather reports
and emergency broadcasts.

Dealership is prohibited to increase the cost of a vehicle due to the
audio system containing a weather radio feature.

The Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles shall establish
regulation standards for weather radios in motor vehicles within 120
days of this legislation being signed into law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The need to better prepare the residents of New York State for weather
related emergencies and disasters is very evident each in the face of
increasing severe weather events. However, on many fronts, New York has
not moved to update is weather emergency notification and warning
systems. This delay has detrimental effects to life and property.

This legislation is derived by the need to use every available mechanism
already in place to better warn our residents and safeguard them from
harm and even death. For decades the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration has used a system of satellites and analog radio trans-
missions specific to individual communities to deliver weather forecasts
and severe weather warnings and emergency messages.

Yet only households with a weather radio have been taking full advantage
of this free and vitally important service as our weather patterns
change and severe weather becomes the norm. The radios range in price
from $30 to $120 dollars for purely aesthetics as they all use the very
flame, simple and inexpensive analogue technology.

This legislation looks to placing weather radios in each new model vehi-
cle sold beginning in 2021 for the very simple reason that when power is
interrupted due to storms, household members can still use their auto's
to keep track of the severe weather and dangerous conditions because

their car battery and the mandated weather radio technology in the auto
will be available to them.

In addition, as tens of thousands of Americans "cut the cord" to tradi-
tional television and cable services and streaming media is the norm for
news and entertainment the lack of such warnings superseding scheduled
programming is a threat to public safety in the highest of degrees.

Requiring all new models sold for fiscal year 2021 is a simple yet
powerful use of old analogue technologies that will save lives and help
government officials better communicate with their communities at times
of severe emergencies.

It is very important to note that while local news media provide
detailed weather updates as storms are pending and as they impact commu-
nities, the "cutting of the cord" and local broadcasters inability to
air, minute by minute weather, conditions as severe weather approaches
has been a problem that can no longer be ignored if we are series on
using all the tools at our disposal to safeguard the residents of our
state.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S.8369 of 2018, referred to transportation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT:

NONE

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The act shall take effective immediately and the commissioner of motor
vehicles shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary for the
implementation of this act within 120 days of signing.