BILL NUMBER: S6642

SPONSOR: CARLUCCI
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to the required equipment of certain motor vehicles

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::

This legislation will require passenger motor vehicles is equipped with
a functioning system that can detect the presence of an occupant in a
rear designated seating position after the vehicle engine or motor is
deactivated and provide a warning.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS::

Section 1. Subdivision 10 of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law
is amended by adding a new paragraph g to read as follows:

g. It shall be unlawful to operate on any public highway in this state a
motor vehicle registered in this state with a gross vehicle weight of
ten thousand pounds or less, manufactured or assembled after July first,
              

two thousand twenty-one unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a
functioning system that can detect the presence of an occupant in a rear
designated seating position after the vehicle engine or motor is deacti-
vated and provide a warning.

Section 2. Repealer. If any federal agency or any court of competent
jurisdiction finally determines that this act would New York state out
of compliance with federal law or regulation.

Section 3. Effective Date

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Fifty-two children died after being left in hot cars in 2018. That's the
highest total of vehicular heatstroke deaths in the last 21 years,
according to nobtstrke.org. So far this year, there have been 24 deaths,
according to the site. Heatstroke in cars is the leading cause of non-
crash vehicle-related deaths of children under the age of 14 years,
according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

These statistics do not have to increase and can hopefully be eliminated
in the future. The fact is that technology currently exists and is
available on some vehicles sold in the U.S. already to help prevent
these instances of fatal heatstroke. Some automobile manufacturers are
utilizing technology that ranges from rear door logic, pressure monitors
and/or motion detection technology.

The federal government is pondering legislation that would study the
technology for a 2-year period before directing automobile manufacturers
to make available the technology at some point in the future after the
study is completed. However, because the technology is already being
implemented, there is no need to wait to require it in all passenger
vehicles to save lives now.

This legislation shall be known as the Heatstroke Elimination Awareness
Technology (HEAT) Act.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
New Legislation.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:: a

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE::

This act shall take effect one hundred eighty days after it shall have
become a law; provided that the commissioner of motor vehicles shall
notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of
the provisions of section two of this act in order that the commission
may maintain an accurate and timely effective database of the official
text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating
the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of
the public officers law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment
and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
completed on or before such effective date.