Senate Bill S2381

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2381
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. MATTERA -- 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  general  business
   law, in relation to required accident damage reporting
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 604 of the vehicle and traffic law  is  amended  to
 read as follows:
   § 604. Reports;  contents; preparation; distribution; filing.  Reports
 of accidents required under the preceding section, or  under  the  rules
 and  regulations  of  the  commissioner, shall be upon forms prepared by
 [him] SUCH COMMISSIONER  and  contain  such  information  as  [he]  SUCH
 COMMISSIONER  shall prescribe; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, SUCH INFORMATION SHALL
 AT A MINIMUM INCLUDE THE COST OR ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS FOR ANY MOTOR
 VEHICLE DAMAGED IN SUCH ACCIDENT, OR IF A MOTOR VEHICLE INVOLVED IN SUCH
 ACCIDENT INCURRED NO DAMAGE THEN A NOTATION OF SUCH FACT.   Blank  forms
 for  such reports shall be printed by the commissioner and a supply sent
 to all city, town and village clerks and to the chief officer  of  every
 city  police  department  for  general  distribution  and  use as herein
 provided. Reports of accidents, required under  the  preceding  section,
 shall  be  sent to and filed with the commissioner at the main office of
 the bureau of motor vehicles in the city of Albany, except as  otherwise
 provided by the rules and regulations of the commissioner.
   § 2. Section 604 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter
 196 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   § 604. Reports;  contents;  preparation; distribution; filing. Reports
 of accidents required under sections six hundred three and  six  hundred
 three-a  of  this  article,  or  under  the rules and regulations of the
 commissioner, shall be upon  forms  prepared  by  the  commissioner  and
 contain  such information as the commissioner shall prescribe; provided,
 however, that the commissioner shall provide  space  on  such  forms  to
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06433-01-5
              

 S. 2381                             2
 
 indicate  the  type  or  types of vehicles involved, including passenger
 motor vehicles, commercial  motor  vehicles,  motorcycles,  limited  use
 motorcycles,  off-highway  motorcycles, electric scooters, bicycles with
 electric assist, and/or bicycles; PROVIDED FURTHER, HOWEVER, SUCH INFOR-
 MATION  SHALL ADDITIONALLY INCLUDE THE COST OR ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS
 FOR ANY MOTOR VEHICLE DAMAGED IN SUCH ACCIDENT, OR IF  A  MOTOR  VEHICLE
 INVOLVED  IN  SUCH  ACCIDENT  INCURRED NO DAMAGE THEN A NOTATION OF SUCH
 FACT. Blank forms for such reports shall be printed by the  commissioner
 and  a supply sent to all city, town and village clerks and to the chief
 officer of every city police department for general distribution and use
 as herein provided. Reports of accidents, required under  the  preceding
 section,  shall  be  sent to and filed with the commissioner at the main
 office of the bureau of motor vehicles in the city of Albany, except  as
 otherwise provided by the rules and regulations of the commissioner.
   §  3.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
 607 to read as follows:
   § 607. DISCLOSURE TO MOTOR VEHICLE CONDITION  REPORTING  AGENCIES.  1.
 THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  MAKE  ANY INFORMATION REGARDING DAMAGE AND THE
 COST OR ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS OF  SUCH  DAMAGE  OR  LACK  OF  DAMAGE
 INCURRED  BY  MOTOR VEHICLES REPORTED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
 ARTICLE AVAILABLE TO MOTOR VEHICLE CONDITION REPORTING AGENCIES.
   2. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE TERM "MOTOR VEHICLE CONDITION  REPORT-
 ING  AGENCY"  SHALL  HAVE  THE  SAME  MEANING AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN
 SECTION THREE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE-VV OF THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW.
   § 4. The general business law is amended by adding a new section  399-
 vv to read as follows:
   §  399-VV.  MOTOR  VEHICLE CONDITION REPORTING AGENCIES. 1. AS USED IN
 THIS SECTION, THE TERM "MOTOR VEHICLE CONDITION REPORTING AGENCY"  MEANS
 ANY  PERSON  WHO, FOR MONETARY FEES, DUES, OR ON A COOPERATIVE NONPROFIT
 BASIS, REGULARLY ENGAGES IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN THE PRACTICE OF ASSEMBL-
 ING OR EVALUATING MOTOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE  AND  CONDITION  INFORMATION
 FOR  THE  PURPOSE OF FURNISHING REPORTS ON THE MAINTENANCE AND CONDITION
 OF A MOTOR VEHICLE TO THIRD PARTIES.
   2. EVERY REPORT BY A MOTOR VEHICLE CONDITION  REPORTING  AGENCY  WHICH
 INCLUDES  INFORMATION  REGARDING  AN  ACCIDENT  A MOTOR VEHICLE HAS BEEN
 INVOLVED IN SHALL INCLUDE THE COST OR ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS FOR  ANY
 DAMAGE  INCURRED  BY SUCH VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF SUCH ACCIDENT, OR IF NO
 DAMAGE WAS INCURRED BY THE MOTOR VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF SUCH ACCIDENT  A
 NOTATION OF SUCH FACT.
   §  5.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law; provided, however, that section two of this act shall
 take effect on the same date and in the same manner as  chapter  196  of
 the  laws  of  2024,  takes effect. Effective immediately, the addition,
 amendment and/or repeal of any rule  or  regulation  necessary  for  the
 implementation  of  this  act on its effective date are authorized to be
 made and completed on or before such effective date.