Bans the sale of certain devices which allow video streaming on the center console or infotainment center of a motor vehicle which are in view of the driver, and the use of such devices while a vehicle is in motion.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10697
IN SENATE
September 11, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. BYNOE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the general business law and the vehicle and traffic
law, in relation to enacting the "vehicle streaming device ban" act
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
2 392-l to read as follows:
3 § 392-l. Prohibit the sale of any device capable of allowing access
4 to streaming of video on the infotainment screen equipped to the center
5 console of such vehicle or any screen otherwise in direct view of the
6 driver of such vehicle while the vehicle is in motion. 1. For the
7 purposes of this section:
8 (a) "Streaming device" shall mean any device capable of allowing
9 access to streaming of video on the infotainment screen equipped to the
10 center console of such vehicle or any screen otherwise in direct view of
11 the driver of such vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.
12 (b) "Distributor" shall mean any person who delivers to a person other
13 than purchaser, for the purpose of retail sale.
14 (c) "Manufacturer" shall mean any person who makes and places into the
15 stream of commerce any device capable of allowing access to streaming of
16 video on the infotainment screen equipped to the center console of such
17 vehicle or any screen otherwise in direct view of the driver of such
18 vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.
19 (d) "Retailer" shall have the same meaning as set forth in subdivision
20 eleven of section four hundred ninety-a of this chapter.
21 (e) "Secondhand dealer" shall have the same meaning as set forth in
22 subdivision six of section four hundred ninety-a of this chapter.
23 (f) "Person" shall mean a natural person, firm, corporation, limited
24 liability company, association, or an employee or agent of a natural
25 person or an entity included in this definition.
26 2. No manufacturer, importer, distributor, wholesaler, retailer or
27 secondhand dealer shall sell, lease, offer for sale, or offer for lease
28 in this state any streaming device as defined in this section.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16349-04-6
S. 10697 2
1 3. (a) On or after the effective date of this section, no operator of
2 a motor vehicle shall utilize any streaming device, as defined in para-
3 graph (a) of subdivision one of this section, while the vehicle is in
4 motion.
5 (b) The commissioner of motor vehicles shall promulgate rules and
6 regulations to carry out the provisions of this subdivision, with
7 respect to the ban on the streaming devices under this section.
8 4. Whenever there shall be a violation of subdivision two of this
9 section an application may be made by the attorney general in the name
10 of the people of the state of New York to a court or justice having
11 jurisdiction by a special proceeding to issue an injunction, and upon
12 notice to the defendant of not less than five days, to enjoin and
13 restrain the continuance of such violations; and if it shall appear to
14 the satisfaction of the court or justice that the defendant has, in
15 fact, violated this section, an injunction may be issued by the court or
16 justice, enjoining and restraining any further violations, without
17 requiring proof that any person has, in fact, been injured or damaged
18 thereby. In any such proceeding, the court may make allowances to the
19 attorney general as provided in paragraph six of subdivision (a) of
20 section eighty-three hundred three of the civil practice law and rules,
21 and direct restitution. Whenever the court shall determine that a
22 violation of subdivision two of this section has occurred, the court may
23 impose a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars for each
24 violation. Each sale of a streaming device in violation of this section
25 shall constitute a separate violation. In connection with any such
26 proposed application, the attorney general is authorized to take proof
27 and make a determination of the relevant facts and to issue subpoenas in
28 accordance with the civil practice law and rules.
29 § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 1225-d of the vehicle
30 and traffic law, as amended by section 8 of part C of chapter 58 of the
31 laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
32 (a) "Portable electronic device" shall mean any [hand-held] handheld
33 mobile telephone, as defined by subdivision one of section twelve
34 hundred twenty-five-c of this article, personal digital assistant (PDA),
35 handheld device with mobile data access, laptop computer, pager, broad-
36 band personal communication device, two-way messaging device, electronic
37 game, [or] portable computing device, any device capable of allowing
38 access to streaming of video on the infotainment screen equipped to the
39 center console of such vehicle or any screen otherwise in direct view of
40 the driver of such vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, or any other
41 electronic device when used to input, write, send, receive, or read text
42 for present or future communication.
43 § 3. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
44 sion, section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of
45 competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect,
46 impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in
47 its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section
48 or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judg-
49 ment shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of
50 the legislature that this act would have been enacted even if such
51 invalid provisions had not been included herein.
52 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
