NY State Senate Bill 2021-S2711

Senate Bill S2711

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Directs the commissioner of motor vehicles to establish a next of kin registry for holders of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and non-driver identification

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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 05, 2022	referred to transportation
Jan 22, 2021	referred to transportation

co-Sponsors

2021-S2711 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Transportation
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Add §§215-a & 607, V & T L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S5276
2013-2014: S1948
2015-2016: S2396
2017-2018: S1910
2019-2020: S1373

2021-S2711 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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.

2021-S2711 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2711

SPONSOR: RITCHIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

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

 
PURPOSE:

To create a "next of kin registry" in the State of New York.

 
SUMMARY:

Section 1 amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law by adding a new section
(215-a) in order to require the commissioner of the Department of Motor
Vehicles to establish and operate a statewide internet accessible
website known as the "next of kin registry." The commissioner of the
Department of Motor Vehicles is required to create a system by which the
license/ID holder can sign in using their card number and add emergency

contacts who are 18 years or older. The emergency contact will be
contacted by an investigating police officer in the event of an accident
pursuant to the new Section 607 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law provided
for in Section 2 of this legislation.

Section 2 creates a new Section 607 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law in
order to provide notification of emergency contacts.

Section 3 provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In the event of a motor vehicle accident, family members of the victims
should be informed in a timely manner. The current law provides no way
for police officers to find contact information for a victims' emergency
contacts in the event of an accident.

This bill establishes a statewide internet site to be known as the "next
of kin registry." Holders of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and
non-driver identification cards will be able to visit the website and
use their card number to register up to two emergency contacts. The
emergency contacts must be 18 years or older. In the event of an acci-
dent resulting in physical injury, death, or incapacitation, the inves-
tigating police officer will then attempt to contact the emergency
contact(s) provided for in the online registry. Furthermore, this bill
specifically provides protection for registrants from disclosure under
the Freedom of Information Law. This legislation will also allow New
York State's Department of Motor Vehicles to apply a similar system to
other states' online registries for "next of kin" emergency contacts.

Motor vehicle accidents are traumatic for victims and their family
members. In our technological age, it is inexcusable that anything
prevent the prompt notice of victims' next of kin in the event of an
accident resulting in physical injury, death, or incapacitation. This
legislation provides that notice in safe and efficient manner.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2019-2020: S.1373

 
FISCAL IMPACT:

Minimal.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become law; provided, that, effective immediately, any
actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effec-
tive date are authorized and directed to be completed on or before such
date.

2021-S2711 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2711
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 22, 2021
                                ___________
 
 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:
 
   Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 215-a to read as follows:
   § 215-A. NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY. 1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH AND
 OPERATE,  WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AN AUTOMATED, STATEWIDE INTERNET ACCES-
 SIBLE WEBSITE TO BE KNOWN AS THE "NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY".  SUCH  REGISTRY
 SHALL BE CAPABLE OF STORING EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE HOLDERS
 OF  DRIVERS'  LICENSES,  LEARNERS' PERMITS AND NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION
 CARDS TO BE ACCESSIBLE BY POLICE OFFICERS,  EMERGENCY  MEDICAL  SERVICES
 AND  TREATING  PHYSICIANS  PURSUANT TO SECTION SIX HUNDRED SEVEN OF THIS
 CHAPTER. ANY HOLDER OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE, LEARNER'S PERMIT OR  NON-DRI-
 VER  IDENTIFICATION CARD MAY VOLUNTARILY SUBMIT, VIA AN INTERNET WEBSITE
 ESTABLISHED THEREFOR, THE NAMES, ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF  TWO
 EMERGENCY CONTACTS FOR INCLUSION IN THE NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY.
   2. IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY, THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL  ESTABLISH  A  PROCESS  WHEREBY  ANY HOLDER OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE,
 LEARNER'S PERMIT OR NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION  CARD  MAY  ELECTRONICALLY
 SIGN  INTO  THE  DEPARTMENT  INTERNET  WEBSITE USING HIS OR HER LICENSE,
 PERMIT OR CARD NUMBER. THEREAFTER, SUCH HOLDER  MAY  ENTER  HIS  OR  HER
 EMERGENCY  CONTACT  INFORMATION  FOR NOT MORE THAN TWO EMERGENCY CONTACT
 PERSONS, OR MAY REVISE OR UPDATE PREVIOUSLY  ENTERED  EMERGENCY  CONTACT
 INFORMATION.
   3.  INFORMATION  IN  THE  NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE
 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.

                                                            LBD06121-01-1

 S. 2711                             2
 
 TREATING  PHYSICIANS PURSUANT TO SECTION SIX HUNDRED SEVEN OF THIS CHAP-
 TER. THE INFORMATION IN THE NEXT OF KIN REGISTRY SHALL BE DEEMED  TO  BE
 CONFIDENTIAL  AND SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE PURSUANT TO ARTICLE
 SIX OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW.
   4.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "EMERGENCY CONTACT" SHALL MEAN
 ANY PERSON, EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, DESIGNATED BY THE HOLDER  OF
 A  DRIVER'S  LICENSE, LEARNER'S PERMIT OR NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION CARD
 TO BE CONTACTED BY A POLICE AGENCY WHEN SUCH HOLDER IS  RENDERED  UNABLE
 TO COMMUNICATE DUE TO PHYSICAL INJURY, DEATH OR INCAPACITATION.
   §  2.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
 607 to read as follows:
   § 607. NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY CONTACTS. WHEN A MOTOR VEHICLE  ACCI-
 DENT  OR  ANY OTHER EVENT RESULTS IN PHYSICAL INJURY, DEATH OR INCAPACI-
 TATION OF ANY PERSON, THE POLICE OFFICER INVESTIGATING SUCH ACCIDENT  OR
 EVENT SHALL ATTEMPT TO LOCATE AN EMERGENCY CONTACT OF THE INJURED PERSON
 FROM  THE  NEXT  OF  KIN  REGISTRY  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO
 HUNDRED FIFTEEN-A OF THIS CHAPTER. A POLICE OFFICER SHALL, WHEN  PRACTI-
 CABLE,  EXPEDITIOUSLY  NOTIFY  AN EMERGENCY CONTACT OF EACH SUCH INJURED
 PERSON AND INFORM  THE  EMERGENCY  CONTACT  OF  THE  HOSPITAL  OR  OTHER
 LOCATION AT WHICH THE INJURED PERSON HAS BEEN TAKEN.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
 ly, any actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its
 effective date are authorized to be completed on or before such date.

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Senate Bill S2711

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Sponsored By

Patty Ritchie