Assembly Bill A3955

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

download bill text pdf

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly 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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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

multi-Sponsors

2017-A3955 - Details

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
2019-2020: A3201

2017-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.

2017-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

multi-Sponsors

2017-A3955A - Details

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
2019-2020: A3201

2017-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.

2017-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

multi-Sponsors

2017-A3955B (ACTIVE) - Details

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
2019-2020: A3201

2017-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.

2017-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.
              

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