assembly Bill A3955B

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Provides for the field testing for use of mobile telephones and portable electronic devices while driving after an accident or collision

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly Committee


  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor Calendar
    • Passed Senate
    • Passed Assembly
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed/Vetoed by Governor

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Actions

view actions (7)
Assembly Actions - Lowercase
Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 05, 2018 held for consideration in transportation
May 18, 2018 print number 3955b
May 18, 2018 amend and recommit to transportation
Jan 26, 2018 print number 3955a
Jan 26, 2018 amend and recommit to transportation
Jan 03, 2018 referred to transportation
Jan 30, 2017 referred to transportation

Co-Sponsors

view additional co-sponsors

Multi-Sponsors

A3955 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S2306
Current Committee:
Assembly Transportation
Law Section:
Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§215, 503 & 511, add §1225-e, V & T L; amd §837, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2015-2016: A8613, S6325
2019-2020: A3201, S5392
2021-2022: S4259
2023-2024: S4023

A3955 - Summary

Provides for the field testing for use of mobile telephones and portable electronic devices while driving after an accident or collision; allows police departments the option to participate in such field testing.

A3955 - Bill Text download pdf


                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  3955

                       2017-2018 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 30, 2017
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Transportation

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the  executive  law,  in
  relation  to the field testing of mobile telephones and portable elec-
  tronic devices after a motor vehicle accident or  collision  involving
  damage to real or personal property, personal injury or death

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds  that  the
use  of  mobile  telephones and/or personal electronic devices has dras-
tically increased the prevalence of distracted driving. This destructive
behavior endangers the lives of every driver and passenger traveling  on
New  York  state roadways. In 2001, this legislature enacted legislation
prohibiting the use of mobile telephones  while  driving,  and  in  2009
updated  the  law to include all portable electronic devices. The execu-
tive branch initiated a public campaign against  cell  phone  use  while
driving, and has even established "text stops" along all major highways.
While these efforts have brought much needed attention to the dangers of
distracted driving, reports indicate that 67 percent of drivers admit to
continued  use  of  their cell phones while driving despite knowledge of
the inherent danger to themselves and others on  the  road.  A  10  year
trend  of  declining collisions and casualties was reversed this year as
crashes are up 14 percent, and fatalities increased 8 percent,  suggest-
ing  that  the  problem  has not only gotten worse, but is still greatly
misunderstood.
  Furthermore, law enforcement has  a  difficult  time  enforcing  these
public  safety laws, especially after an accident where it is impossible
to discern whether the operator of a motor vehicle was in fact using his
or her cell phone immediately prior to or at the time of the collision.
  Empowering our law enforcement with technology, which is able to imme-
diately determine cell phone usage without an inquiry into the  content,

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

Co-Sponsors

view additional co-sponsors

Multi-Sponsors

A3955A - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S2306
Current Committee:
Assembly Transportation
Law Section:
Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§215, 503 & 511, add §1225-e, V & T L; amd §837, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2015-2016: A8613, S6325
2019-2020: A3201, S5392
2021-2022: S4259
2023-2024: S4023

A3955A - Summary

Provides for the field testing for use of mobile telephones and portable electronic devices while driving after an accident or collision; allows police departments the option to participate in such field testing.

A3955A - Bill Text download pdf


                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 3955--A

                       2017-2018 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 30, 2017
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M. of A. ORTIZ, MAYER, BUCHWALD, BYRNE, PICHARDO, QUART,
  SEPULVEDA, D'URSO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. McDONOUGH --  read
  once and referred to the Committee on Transportation -- recommitted to
  the  Committee  on  Transportation in accordance with Assembly Rule 3,
  sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill  amended,  ordered  reprinted  as
  amended and recommitted to said committee

AN  ACT  to  amend the vehicle and traffic law and the executive law, in
  relation to the field testing of mobile telephones and portable  elec-
  tronic  devices  after a motor vehicle accident or collision involving
  damage to real or personal property, personal injury or death

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds that the
use of mobile telephones and/or personal electronic  devices  has  dras-
tically increased the prevalence of distracted driving. This destructive
behavior  endangers the lives of every driver and passenger traveling on
New York state roadways. In 2001, this legislature  enacted  legislation
prohibiting  the  use  of  mobile  telephones while driving, and in 2009
updated the law to include all portable electronic devices.  The  execu-
tive  branch  initiated  a  public campaign against cell phone use while
driving, and has even established "text stops" along all major highways.
While these efforts have brought much needed attention to the dangers of
distracted driving, reports indicate that 67 percent of drivers admit to
continued use of their cell phones while driving  despite  knowledge  of
the  inherent  danger  to  themselves  and others on the road. A 10 year
trend of declining collisions and casualties was reversed this  year  as
crashes  are up 14 percent, and fatalities increased 8 percent, suggest-
ing that the problem has not only gotten worse,  but  is  still  greatly
misunderstood.
  Furthermore,  law  enforcement  has  a  difficult time enforcing these
public safety laws, especially after an accident where it is  impossible

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

Co-Sponsors

view additional co-sponsors

Multi-Sponsors

A3955B (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S2306
Current Committee:
Assembly Transportation
Law Section:
Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§215, 503 & 511, add §1225-e, V & T L; amd §837, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2015-2016: A8613, S6325
2019-2020: A3201, S5392
2021-2022: S4259
2023-2024: S4023

A3955B (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides for the field testing for use of mobile telephones and portable electronic devices while driving after an accident or collision; allows police departments the option to participate in such field testing.

A3955B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf


                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 3955--B

                       2017-2018 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 30, 2017
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. ORTIZ, BUCHWALD, BYRNE, PICHARDO, QUART, D'URSO,
  HEVESI, WEPRIN, CRESPO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.  of  A.  McDONOUGH,
  SIMON  -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation --
  recommitted to the Committee  on  Transportation  in  accordance  with
  Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
  reprinted  as  amended  and  recommitted  to  said  committee -- again
  reported from said committee with  amendments,  ordered  reprinted  as
  amended and recommitted to said committee

AN  ACT  to  amend the vehicle and traffic law and the executive law, in
  relation to the field testing of mobile telephones and portable  elec-
  tronic  devices  after a motor vehicle accident or collision involving
  damage to real or personal property, personal injury or death

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds that the
use of mobile telephones and/or personal electronic  devices  has  dras-
tically increased the prevalence of distracted driving. This destructive
behavior  endangers the lives of every driver and passenger traveling on
New York state roadways. In 2001, this legislature  enacted  legislation
prohibiting  the  use  of  mobile  telephones while driving, and in 2009
updated the law to include all portable electronic devices.  The  execu-
tive  branch  initiated  a  public campaign against cell phone use while
driving, and has even established "text stops" along all major highways.
While these efforts have brought much needed attention to the dangers of
distracted driving, reports indicate that 67 percent of drivers admit to
continued use of their cell phones while driving  despite  knowledge  of
the  inherent  danger  to  themselves  and others on the road. A 10 year
trend of declining collisions and casualties was reversed this  year  as
crashes  are up 14 percent, and fatalities increased 8 percent, suggest-
ing that the problem has not only gotten worse,  but  is  still  greatly
misunderstood.

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