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.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1910--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2017
___________
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- reported
favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee on
Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
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:
1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
2 section 215-a to read as follows:
3 § 215-a. Next of kin registry. 1. The commissioner shall establish and
4 operate, within the department, an automated, statewide internet acces-
5 sible website to be known as the "next of kin registry". Such registry
6 shall be capable of storing emergency contact information of the holders
7 of drivers' licenses, learners' permits and non-driver identification
8 cards to be accessible by police officers, emergency medical services
9 and treating physicians pursuant to section six hundred seven of this
10 chapter. Any holder of a driver's license, learner's permit or non-dri-
11 ver identification card may voluntarily submit, via an internet website
12 established therefor, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two
13 emergency contacts for inclusion in the next of kin registry.
14 2. In the implementation of the next of kin registry, the commissioner
15 shall establish a process whereby any holder of a driver's license,
16 learner's permit or non-driver identification card may electronically
17 sign into the department internet website using his or her license,
18 permit or card number. Thereafter, such holder may enter his or her
19 emergency contact information for not more than two emergency contact
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07441-02-7
S. 1910--A 2
1 persons, or may revise or update previously entered emergency contact
2 information.
3 3. Information in the next of kin registry shall be made available
4 solely for the use of police officers, emergency medical services and
5 treating physicians pursuant to section six hundred seven of this chap-
6 ter. The information in the next of kin registry shall be deemed to be
7 confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant to article
8 six of the public officers law.
9 4. For the purposes of this section, "emergency contact" shall mean
10 any person, eighteen years of age or older, designated by the holder of
11 a driver's license, learner's permit or non-driver identification card
12 to be contacted by a police agency when such holder is rendered unable
13 to communicate due to physical injury, death or incapacitation.
14 § 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
15 607 to read as follows:
16 § 607. Notification of emergency contacts. When a motor vehicle acci-
17 dent or any other event results in physical injury, death or incapaci-
18 tation of any person, the police officer investigating such accident or
19 event shall attempt to locate an emergency contact of the injured person
20 from the next of kin registry established pursuant to section two
21 hundred fifteen-a of this chapter. A police officer shall, when practi-
22 cable, expeditiously notify an emergency contact of each such injured
23 person and inform the emergency contact of the hospital or other
24 location at which the injured person has been taken.
25 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
26 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
27 ly, any actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its
28 effective date are authorized and directed to be completed on or before
29 such date.
