•  Summary 
  •  
  •  Actions 
  •  
  •  Committee Votes 
  •  
  •  Floor Votes 
  •  
  •  Memo 
  •  
  •  Text 
  •  
  •  LFIN 
  •  
  •  Chamber Video/Transcript 

A08929 Summary:

BILL NOA08929
 
SAME ASSAME AS S08734
 
SPONSORPaulin
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Amd 375, V & T L
 
Requires rear occupant alert systems in vehicles manufactured or assembled after July 1, 2026; excludes motorcycles and commercial motor vehicles.
Go to top    

A08929 Actions:

BILL NOA08929
 
01/30/2024referred to transportation
Go to top

A08929 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8929
 
SPONSOR: Paulin
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring rear occupant alert systems in certain vehicles   PURPOSE: To require vehicles manufactured after July 1, 2026 and sold or offered for sale in New. York as a new vehicle to be registered in this state to be equipped with a rear occupant alert system.   SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Section 1 amends section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law to add subdivision 55 making it unlawful for any person, firm, association or corporation to sell a new motor vehicle in New York after July 1, 2026 unless it is equipped with a rear occupant alert system. This section further authorizes the commissioner to promulgate rules and regulations relative to rear occupant alert systems. Section 2 provides the effective date.   JUSTIFICATION: In the past twenty-five years, nearly one thousand children have died of heatstroke because they were left or became trapped in a hot car (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Even on cool days, temperatures within parked cars can rise significantly within a short period of time. On average, a car can heat up 19 degrees Fahrenheit in just ten minutes. A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than that of an adult, making them especially vulnerable to heat stoke when left or trapped inside of a car. The unfortunate truth is that many children who die from heatstroke are left in a car by their parent or caregiver. Often, this occurs due to what neuroscientist David M. Diamond has described as the "Fatal Distraction." Essentially, parents will drive somewhere that they often go alone, such as work, and go into "autopilot mode and lose awareness of the child in the back seat." If the child is silent or sleeping in the back of the car, the parent may walk into the office without realiz- ing that the child is still there. Rear occupant alert systems would directly address instances of the "fatal distraction" by sounding an alarm when the presence of a child or pet is detected in the car. Rear occupant alert technology currently exists which can notify drivers and nearby persons that there is a child or pet closed within a parked vehicle. Many auto manufacturers have successfully introduced the tech- nology in newer models of their vehicles. This legislation would require vehicles sold to be registered in New York and assembled after July 1, 2026 to be equipped with life-saving rear occupant alert technology to detect the presence of a child or pet in a parked car. Heat stroke deaths of children and pets are avoidable. This legislation would ensure that in newly manufactured vehicles there is a system in place to alert parents and caregivers when someone is left trapped in the car and combat the too frequent instances of death or permanent injury from heatstroke.   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.   EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Go to top

A08929 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          8929
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    January 30, 2024
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Transportation
 
        AN  ACT  to  amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
          rear occupant alert systems in certain vehicles
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Section  375 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
     2  adding a new subdivision 55 to read as follows:
     3    55. Rear occupant alert systems. (a) It shall be unlawful  after  July
     4  first,  two  thousand  twenty-six  for  any person, firm, association or
     5  corporation to sell or offer for sale in this state a new motor  vehicle
     6  which  is  to  be registered in this state and which was manufactured or
     7  assembled on or after such date, and designed as a two thousand  twenty-
     8  seven  or later model, unless such vehicle is equipped with a rear occu-
     9  pant alert system. For the purposes of this subdivision, "rear  occupant
    10  alert  system"  shall  mean  technology  that detects the presence of an
    11  occupant such as a child or pet in the rear seat of a vehicle after  the
    12  vehicle  has  been  turned off and which alerts the driver of such pres-
    13  ence.
    14    (b) The commissioner shall promulgate rules and  regulations  relative
    15  to rear occupant alert systems on motor vehicles and the approval of the
    16  same as are not inconsistent with the provisions of federal law, rule or
    17  regulation, relating thereto. This subdivision shall not apply to motor-
    18  cycles,  a  commercial  motor  vehicle  as defined in section two of the
    19  transportation law, or a combination of a commercial motor  vehicle  and
    20  trailer.
    21    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    22  it shall have become a law.
 
 
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD14066-01-4
Go to top