NY State Senate Bill 2019-S6012A

Senate Bill S6012A

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Relates to requiring the use of electronic coupling when providing prearranged transportation services to passengers

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules 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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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Dec 28, 2020	committed to rules
Feb 27, 2020	advanced to third reading
Feb 26, 2020	2nd report cal.
Feb 25, 2020	1st report cal.499
Jan 08, 2020	referred to transportation returned to senate died in assembly
Jun 19, 2019	referred to transportation delivered to assembly passed senate ordered to third reading cal.1783 committee discharged and committed to rules
Jun 12, 2019	print number 6012a
Jun 12, 2019	amend (t) and recommit to transportation
May 16, 2019	referred to transportation

Votes

- Jun 19, 2019 - Floor Vote
  S6012A
  
  46
  
  Aye
  
  16
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Floor Vote: Jun 19, 2019
      
      aye (46)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Akshar
      
      Amedore
      
      Bailey
      
      Benjamin
      
      Biaggi
      
      Breslin
      
      Brooks
      
      Carlucci
      
      Comrie
      
      Felder
      
      Gaughran
      
      Gianaris
      
      Gounardes
      
      Harckham
      
      Hoylman-Sigal
      
      Jackson
      
      Jordan
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Kaplan
      
      Kavanagh
      
      Kennedy
      
      Krueger
      
      Lanza
      
      Little
      
      Liu
      
      Martinez
      
      May
      
      Mayer
      
      Metzger
      
      Montgomery
      
      Myrie
      
      Parker
      
      Persaud
      
      Ramos
      
      Rivera
      
      Robach
      
      Salazar
      
      Sanders Jr.
      
      Savino
      
      Sepúlveda
      
      Serrano
      
      Skoufis
      
      Stavisky
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      Thomas
      
      nay (16)
      
      Antonacci
      
      Boyle
      
      Flanagan
      
      Funke
      
      Gallivan
      
      Griffo
      
      Helming
      
      Jacobs
      
      LaValle
      
      O'Mara
      
      Ortt
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Ritchie
      
      Serino
      
      Seward
      
      Tedisco
  Feb 25, 2020 - Transportation Committee Vote
  S6012A
  
  12
  
  Aye
  
  1
  
  Nay
  
  2
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Transportation Committee Vote: Feb 25, 2020
      
      aye (12)
      
      Benjamin
      
      Borrello
      
      Carlucci
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Kaplan
      
      Kennedy
      
      Liu
      
      Persaud
      
      Ramos
      
      Robach
      
      Sepúlveda
      
      Skoufis
      
      nay (1)
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      aye wr (2)
      
      Gallivan
      
      O'Mara
  Jun 19, 2019 - Rules Committee Vote
  S6012A
  
  13
  
  Aye
  
  5
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Rules Committee Vote: Jun 19, 2019
      
      aye (13)
      
      Benjamin
      
      Breslin
      
      Comrie
      
      Gianaris
      
      Hoylman-Sigal
      
      Kennedy
      
      Krueger
      
      Lanza
      
      Liu
      
      Martinez
      
      Parker
      
      Savino
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      nay (5)
      
      Flanagan
      
      LaValle
      
      Little
      
      Robach
      
      Seward
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Griffo

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2019-S6012 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7810
Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 33 §1229-e, V & T L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S3533, A4507, A9260

2019-S6012 - Summary

Requires the use of electronic coupling when providing prearranged transportation services to allow a passenger to confirm the prearranged match through an interactive exchange of signals on both the driver's handheld device and the passenger's handheld device.

2019-S6012 - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S6012

SPONSOR: KENNEDY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative code
of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the use of electronic
coupling when providing prearranged transportation services to passen-
gers

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To require for-hire transportation vehicles, including TNCs, that use a
Digital application to solicit pre-arrange trips to implement a system
of interactive electronic coupling, where the passenger has the ability
to "ping" the driver's smartphone with a confirmation message to ensure
he or she can safely enter the correct vehicle.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law to require TNCs implement a

system of interactive electronic coupling.

Section 2 amends the Administrative Code of the City of New York to
require all for-hire vehicles city-wide providing prearranged transpor-
tation services through a digital network implement a system of interac-
tive electronic coupling.

Section 3 amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law to require any for-hire
vehicle statewide that uses a digital application to pre-arrange passen-
ger trips to implement a system of interactive electronic coupling.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

There are many in which passengers have entered the wrong for-hire-vehi-
cle, leading to various safety concerns. On some occasions, a driver
with bad intent has posed as a for-hire vehicle driver, leading to
assault or even murder.

On March 29, 2019, Samantha L. Josephson, a 21 year old college student
in Columbia, South Carolina called for a for-hire vehicle. It was late
at night, and she mistakenly climbed into the wrong vehicle.  Her body
was found 14 hours later, 90 miles away.

This bill requires that any for-hire vehicle service that utilizes an
app implement a safety button which would electronically couple the
passenger with the driver. Upon pressing the button on the passenger's
phone, the driver's phone signal a confirmatory response indicating to
the passenger that the driver/passenger match has been confirmed and
that the passenger may safely enter the vehicle.

This legislation is intended to use preexisting digital technology to
provide greater assurance to a passenger that he or she has coupled with
the correct driver dispatched to pick him or her up.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.

2019-S6012 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6012
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 16, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative  code
   of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the use of electron-
   ic  coupling  when  providing  prearranged  transportation services to
   passengers
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Subdivision  5 of section 1696 of the vehicle and traffic
 law, as added by section 2 of part AAA of chapter  59  of  the  laws  of
 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   5. The department shall promulgate regulations to:
   (A) ensure that each TNC vehicle is easily identified as such and that
 the  TNC  for  which  the TNC driver is providing the TNC service or TNC
 prearranged trip is distinguishable. Such marking shall be in such  form
 as  is  approved  by the commissioner, and shall be attached, affixed or
 displayed in such manner as he or she may  prescribe  by  regulation[.];
 AND
   (B)  REQUIRE  THAT A TNC SHALL IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM OF INTERACTIVE ELEC-
 TRONIC COUPLING BETWEEN A PASSENGER AND A TNC DRIVER DESIGNATED  AS  THE
 DRIVER  FOR  THE TNC PREARRANGED TRIP REQUESTED BY A PASSENGER. UPON THE
 TNC VEHICLE'S ARRIVAL TO THE PREARRANGED PICK-UP  LOCATION,  SUCH  ELEC-
 TRONIC  COUPLING  SHALL  INDICATE  THROUGH  AN  INTERACTIVE  EXCHANGE OF
 SIGNALS ON BOTH THE TNC DRIVER'S HANDHELD  DEVICE  AND  THE  PASSENGER'S
 HANDHELD  DEVICE  THAT THE PREARRANGED MATCH HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND THAT
 THE PASSENGER MAY SAFELY ENTER THE VEHICLE DESIGNATED TO PICK HIM OR HER
 UP.
   § 2. Section 19-516 of the administrative code of the city of New York
 is amended by adding a new subdivision c to read as follows:
   C. THE COMMISSION OR SUCCESSOR  AGENCY  SHALL  PROMULGATE  REGULATIONS
 REQUIRING  THAT ALL FOR-HIRE VEHICLES THAT PROVIDE PREARRANGED TRANSPOR-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD11811-01-9

 S. 6012                             2
 
 TATION SERVICES TO PASSENGERS ON THE BASIS OF A DIGITAL NETWORK ACCESSI-
 BLE BY A HANDHELD DEVICE SUCH AS BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO  A  SMARTPHONE  OR
 TABLET  SHALL  IMPLEMENT  A  SYSTEM  OF  INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC COUPLING
 BETWEEN  THE PASSENGER AND THE DRIVER ASSIGNED TO PICK THE PASSENGER UP.
 UPON THE FOR-HIRE VEHICLE'S ARRIVAL TO THE PREARRANGED PICK-UP LOCATION,
 SUCH ELECTRONIC COUPLING SHALL INDICATE THROUGH AN INTERACTIVE  EXCHANGE
 OF  SIGNALS  ON  BOTH  THE  DRIVER'S HANDHELD DEVICE AND THE PASSENGER'S
 HANDHELD DEVICE THAT THE PREARRANGED MATCH HAS BEEN CONFIRMED  AND  THAT
 THE PASSENGER MAY SAFELY ENTER THE VEHICLE DESIGNATED TO PICK HIM OR HER
 UP.
   §  3.  Article 9 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a
 new section 384 to read as follows:
   § 384. ADDITIONAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES  ENGAGED
 IN THE FOR-HIRE TRANSPORTATION OF PASSENGERS. ANY FOR-HIRE VEHICLE USING
 A  DIGITAL  APPLICATION  TO PREARRANGE PASSENGER TRIPS SHALL IMPLEMENT A
 SYSTEM OF INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC COUPLING BETWEEN THE PASSENGER AND  THE
 DRIVER  ASSIGNED  TO  PICK THE PASSENGER UP. UPON THE FOR-HIRE VEHICLE'S
 ARRIVAL, SUCH ELECTRONIC COUPLING SHALL INDICATE THROUGH AN  INTERACTIVE
 EXCHANGE  OF  SIGNALS  ON BOTH THE FOR-HIRE DRIVER'S HANDHELD DEVICE AND
 THE PASSENGER'S HANDHELD DEVICE THAT  THE  PREARRANGED  MATCH  HAS  BEEN
 CONFIRMED AND THAT THE PASSENGER MAY SAFELY ENTER THE VEHICLE DESIGNATED
 TO PICK HIM OR HER UP.
   §  4. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
 law.

2019-S6012A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7810
Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 33 §1229-e, V & T L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S3533, A4507, A9260

2019-S6012A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2019-S6012A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S6012A

SPONSOR: KENNEDY
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to requiring the use of electronic coupling when providing
prearranged transportation services to passengers

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::

To require for-hire transportation vehicles, including TNCs, that use a
Digital application to solicit pre-arrange trips to implement a system
of interactive electronic coupling, where the passenger has the ability
to "ping" the driver's smartphone with a confirmation message to ensure
he or she can safely enter the correct vehicle.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::

Section 1 amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law to require TNCs implement a
system of interactive electronic coupling.

Section 2 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION::

There are many in which passengers have entered the wrong for-hire-vehi-
cle, leading to various safety concerns. On some occasions, a driver
with bad intent has posed as a for-hire vehicle driver, leading to
assault or even murder.

On March 29, 2019, Samantha L. Josephson, a 21 year old college student
in Columbia, South Carolina called for a for-hire vehicle. It was late
at night, and she mistakenly climbed into the wrong vehicle.  Her body
was found 14 hours later, 90 miles away.

This bill requires that any for-hire vehicle service that utilizes an
app implement a safety button which would electronically couple the
passenger with the driver. Upon pressing the button on the passenger's
phone, the driver's phone signal a confirmatory response indicating to
the passenger that the driver/passenger match has been confirmed and
that the passenger may safely enter the vehicle.

This legislation is intended to use preexisting digital technology to
provide greater assurance to a passenger that he or she has coupled with
the correct driver dispatched to pick him or her up.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS::

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE::

This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.

2019-S6012A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6012--A
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 16, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation --  commit-
   tee  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recom-
   mitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in  relation  to  requiring
   the  use of electronic coupling when providing prearranged transporta-
   tion services to passengers
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.    Article 33 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
 adding a new section 1229-e to read as follows:
   § 1229-E. ADDITIONAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR VEHICLES ENGAGED  IN  THE
 TRANSPORTATION OF PASSENGERS. ANY ENTITY THAT PROVIDES A DIGITAL NETWORK
 OR APPLICATION ACCESSIBLE BY A HANDHELD DEVICE TO FACILITATE PREARRANGED
 TRANSPORTATION  SERVICES  TO  PASSENGERS, INCLUDING SERVICES PROVIDED IN
 TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY VEHICLES, AS DEFINED IN  SECTION  SIXTEEN
 HUNDRED  NINETY-ONE  OF  THIS  CHAPTER, FOR-HIRE-VEHICLES, AS DEFINED BY
 SECTION 19-502 OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF THE CITY OF NEW  YORK,  AND
 OTHER  COMMERCIAL  VEHICLES  ENGAGED  IN  THE FOR-HIRE TRANSPORTATION OF
 PASSENGERS, SHALL PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF  INTERACTIVE  ELECTRONIC  COUPLING
 BETWEEN  THE PASSENGER AND THE DRIVER ASSIGNED TO PICK THE PASSENGER UP.
 UPON THE ARRIVAL OF SUCH A VEHICLE OR AT ANY TIME DURING  A  PREARRANGED
 RIDE,  THE  ELECTRONIC  COUPLING  SHALL ALLOW A PASSENGER TO CONFIRM THE
 PREARRANGED MATCH THROUGH AN INTERACTIVE EXCHANGE OF SIGNALS ON BOTH THE
 DRIVER'S HANDHELD DEVICE AND THE PASSENGER'S HANDHELD DEVICE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
 law.  Effective immediately, the department of motor vehicles is author-
 ized to promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary  for  the
 implementation of this act on or before such effective date.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11811-02-9

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