Senate Bill S10527

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10527
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 18, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. BORRELLO -- 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, in relation to establishing
   a program to conduct annual  audits  of  commercial  driver's  license
   records maintained by the department of motor vehicles

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds  that  accurate
 and reliable commercial driver's license records are essential to public
 safety,  regulatory compliance, and the integrity of the state's licens-
 ing system. Annual auditing of commercial driver's license records helps
 ensure that only qualified drivers are authorized to operate  commercial
 motor  vehicles  and  that  records are complete, current, and free from
 fraud or administrative error.
   § 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding  a  new  section
 506-a to read as follows:
   §  506-A. ANNUAL CDL AUDITS. 1. ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION.  THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO  CONDUCT  ANNUAL
 AUDITS  OF  ALL  COMMERCIAL  DRIVER'S  LICENSE RECORDS MAINTAINED BY THE
 DEPARTMENT. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL COMMENCE THE  FIRST  OF  SUCH  ANNUAL
 AUDITS NO LATER THAN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
 THIS SECTION.
   2. SCOPE OF AUDIT. SUCH AUDITS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A)  VERIFICATION  OF IDENTITY DOCUMENTATION CONSISTENT WITH STATE AND
 FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS;
   (B) CROSS-CHECKING RECORDS FOR DUPLICATION, INCONSISTENCY, OR EVIDENCE
 OF FRAUD;
   (C) REVIEW OF COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL REGULATIONS GOVERNING
 COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSING; AND
   (D) CONFIRMATION THAT ALL REQUIRED  MEDICAL  CERTIFICATIONS,  ENDORSE-
 MENTS, AND DISQUALIFICATIONS ARE PROPERLY RECORDED AND CURRENT.
   3.  ACTION  ON  DISCREPANCY.  WHERE  THE  DEPARTMENT  DETERMINES  THAT
 REQUIRED UNDERLYING DOCUMENTATION HAS EXPIRED OR IS NO LONGER VALID  FOR
 A CDL LICENSEE:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD15686-01-6
 S. 10527                            2
 
   (A)  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  PROVIDE  WRITTEN NOTICE TO SUCH LICENSEE,
 INCLUDING THE BASIS FOR SUCH DETERMINATION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO CURE  THE
 DEFICIENCY;
   (B) SUCH LICENSEE SHALL BE PROVIDED A REASONABLE PERIOD, NOT LESS THAN
 THIRTY  DAYS,  TO  PRESENT  VALID DOCUMENTATION OR CONTEST SUCH DETERMI-
 NATION; AND
   (C) IF SUCH DEFICIENCY IS NOT CURED WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED PERIOD,  THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL REVOKE, SUSPEND, OR DOWNGRADE SUCH LICENSEE'S LICENSE
 IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH SECTIONS FIVE HUNDRED TEN-A AND FIVE HUNDRED TEN-AA
 OF THIS TITLE.
   4. DUE PROCESS. ANY SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION UNDER THIS SECTION  SHALL
 BE  SUBJECT  TO  NOTICE  AND  AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTEST THE DEPARTMENT'S
 FINDINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION FIVE HUNDRED TEN OF THIS TITLE.
   5. DATA SHARING AND COMPLIANCE. THE DEPARTMENT MAY ENTER  INTO  AGREE-
 MENTS  WITH  APPROPRIATE FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES TO VERIFY DOCUMENTA-
 TION STATUS, CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL LAW AND PRIVACY PROTECTIONS.
   6. REPORTING. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL  REPORT  TO  THE
 GOVERNOR  AND THE LEGISLATURE NO LATER THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE COMMENCE-
 MENT OF THE AUDIT PROGRAM UNDER THIS SECTION, SUMMARIZING  AUDIT  ACTIV-
 ITIES, THE NUMBER OF DISCREPANCIES IDENTIFIED, ACTIONS TAKEN, AND RECOM-
 MENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING COMPLIANCE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.