NY State Senate Bill 2019-S5368

Senate Bill S5368

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Requires the pre-licensing course to operate a motor vehicle to include information on organ and tissue donation and how to register as an organ donor

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 08, 2020	referred to transportation
Apr 29, 2019	referred to transportation

2019-S5368 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6227
Current Committee:: Senate Transportation
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §502, V & T L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2015-2016: S7504, A10338
2017-2018: S5781, A7549
2021-2022: S5509
2023-2024: S2739

2019-S5368 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the pre-licensing course to operate a motor vehicle to include information on organ and tissue donation and how to register as an organ donor.

2019-S5368 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S5368

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to requiring the pre-licensing course to include information on
organ and tissue donation and how to register as an organ donor

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would include information about organ and tissue donation and
about how to register as an organ donor in the course required in order
receiving a New York State driver's license.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

This bill amends subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of
section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 97 of
the laws of 2016 to read as follows: Upon submission of an application
for a driver's license, the applicant shall be required to take and pass
a test, or submit evidence of passage of a test, with respect to the
laws relating to traffic, the laws relating to driving while ability is

impaired and while intoxicate, under the overpowering influence of "road
rage", or "work zone safety" and law relating to exercising due care to
avoid colliding with a parked, stopped or standing authorized emergency
vehicle or hazard vehicle pursuant to section eleven hundred
forty-four-a of this chapter, the ability to read and comprehend traffic
signs and symbols and such matters as the commissioner of not less than
four hours and not more than five hours, consisting of classroom driver
training and highway safety instruction or the equivalent thereof, and
shall also include information on organ and tissue donation and how to
register as an organ donor.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

There are currently over 10,000 candidates waiting for organ donations
in New York State and every year over 3,000 candidates are added to the
waiting list. The supply of available organs falls well short of meeting
the needs of these candidates, and New York is working to educate people
and increase the number of people registered as organ donors. One of the
more successful efforts to increase donation consent rates has been
Lauren's Law which provides an opportunity to register as a donor as
part of a Department of Motor Vehicle application for a driver's
license. Becoming a licensed driver already requires that an applicant
take a 5 hour course on various aspects of driving and this bill
requires that the course include information on organ and tissue
donation and how to register. Including this information as part of the
driving course is appropriate and justified so that people become more
familiar and knowledgeable about this important issue and decision. This
bill seeks to bolster the number of registered organ donors among New
York state drivers by creating greater awareness of the registration
process and the vital role organ donation plays in saving the lives of
others.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2015-2016: A10338- Referred to Transportation
2017: A.7549 - Referred to Transportation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
January 1st after enactment.

2019-S5368 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5368
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 29, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- 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  requiring
   the  pre-licensing  course  to include information on organ and tissue
   donation and how to register as an organ donor

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.    Subparagraph  (i)  of paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of
 section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 355 of
 the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   (i) Upon submission of an application  for  a  driver's  license,  the
 applicant  shall be required to take and pass a test, or submit evidence
 of passage of a test, with respect to the laws relating to traffic,  the
 laws  relating to driving while ability is impaired and while intoxicat-
 ed, under the overpowering influence of "Road Rage", "Work Zone  Safety"
 awareness  and  "Motorcycle  Safety" awareness as defined by the commis-
 sioner, the law relating to exercising due care to avoid colliding  with
 a  parked,  stopped  or  standing authorized emergency vehicle or hazard
 vehicle pursuant to section eleven hundred forty-four-a of this chapter,
 the ability to read and comprehend traffic signs and  symbols  and  such
 other  matters  as the commissioner may prescribe, and to satisfactorily
 complete a course prescribed by the commissioner of not less  than  four
 hours  and  not  more  than  five  hours, consisting of classroom driver
 training and highway safety instruction or the equivalent  thereof,  AND
 SHALL  ALSO  INCLUDE INFORMATION ON ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION AND HOW TO
 REGISTER AS AN ORGAN DONOR.   Such test shall  include  at  least  seven
 written  questions  concerning  the effects of consumption of alcohol or
 drugs on the ability of a person to operate  a  motor  vehicle  and  the
 legal  and  financial  consequences resulting from violations of section
 eleven hundred ninety-two of this chapter, prohibiting the operation  of
 a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Such test
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD10276-01-9

 S. 5368                             2
 
 shall  include  one or more written questions concerning the devastating
 effects of "Road Rage" on the ability of a person  to  operate  a  motor
 vehicle and the legal and financial consequences resulting from assault-
 ing,  threatening  or  interfering  with  the  lawful conduct of another
 person legally using the roadway. Such test shall include  one  or  more
 questions  concerning  the  potential  dangers  to persons and equipment
 resulting from the unsafe operation of a motor vehicle in a  work  zone.
 Such  test may include one or more questions concerning motorcycle safe-
 ty. Such test may include one or more questions concerning the  law  for
 exercising  due care to avoid colliding with a parked, stopped or stand-
 ing vehicle pursuant to section  eleven  hundred  forty-four-a  of  this
 chapter.  Such  test  shall  be  administered  by  the commissioner. The
 commissioner shall cause the applicant to take a vision test and a  test
 for  color  blindness.  Upon passage of the vision test, the application
 may be accepted and the application fee shall be payable.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.

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