S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5241
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 26, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  LANZA  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT to establish the teen driver safety commission and providing  for
   its powers and duties; and providing for the repeal of such provisions
   upon the expiration thereof

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative declaration. The legislature hereby  finds  and
 declares:  (a) that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death
 for  teens;  (b) the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16 to
 19 year olds than among any other age group; and  (c)  the  presence  of
 teen  passengers  increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers.
 The legislature therefore finds and declares that a teen  driver  safety
 commission shall be established pursuant to this act.
   § 2. Teen driver safety commission. 1. The commission shall consist of
 twelve  members. Four of the members shall be appointed by the governor,
 of which one shall be from the department of motor  vehicles.  Three  of
 the members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate.
 Three  of the members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
 One member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate.  One
 member  shall  be  appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. All
 appointments shall be made within thirty days of the effective  date  of
 this act.
   2.  The commission shall, within twenty days following the appointment
 of all its members, elect a chairperson from among such members.
   3. The commission shall study, examine and review the  issue  of  teen
 driver safety.  In conducting its study, the commission shall:
   (a)  study  and  evaluate the availability and effectiveness of driver
 education and training programs in the state, as well as a selection  of
 driver  education  and  training  programs offered throughout the United
 States;

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD05885-01-1

 S. 5241                             2
 
   (b) survey and assess the problems of driving under the  influence  of
 drugs and alcohol and aggressive driving among teens;
   (c)  review the impact of distracting behaviors while driving, includ-
 ing, but not limited to, the use of hands-free electronic  communication
 devices and the manual use of non-standard audio devices;
   (d) determine the type of motor vehicle violations that are most often
 associated with accidents involving teen drivers;
   (e)  evaluate  the role and utilization of defensive driving and acci-
 dent prevention programs;
   (f) determine and analyze any non-standard safety devices that may  be
 available; and
   (g)  consider  any  other  issues  or  matters the commission may deem
 appropriate to fulfill the scope of its charge.
   4. Additionally, the commission shall  analyze  and  provide  measures
 that may mitigate the risks associated with the operation of motor vehi-
 cles  by  teen  drivers. Such measures shall include, but not be limited
 to:
   (a) requiring the parents  of  a  teen  driver  to  attend  all  court
 proceedings  and  hearings  associated  with  motor  vehicle  violations
 charged to such teen driver;
   (b) assessing fines or penalties to the parents of a teen driver  when
 they knowingly allow such driver to operate a motor vehicle in violation
 of a class restriction; and
   (c)  prohibiting  anyone,  other  than family members or a supervising
 driver, from riding as a passenger in a motor vehicle operated by a teen
 driver.
   5. The commission shall report its findings, conclusions and recommen-
 dations to the governor and legislature no later than one hundred eighty
 days after the effective date of this act.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect
 until the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have  become  a  law,
 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.