Cook, Davila, DeStefano, Hyndman, Paulin, Reilly, Reyes, Sayegh, Taylor
Amd §375, V & T L; amd §305, Ed L
Requires the commissioner of motor vehicles, in consultation with the commissioner of education, to promulgate rules and regulations to implement GPS and an emergency communications system on school buses.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2316
SPONSOR: Simon (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the education law, in
relation to using GPS and implementing an emergency communications
system on school buses
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
an act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the education law, in
relation to using GPS and implementing an emergency communication system
on school buses.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 21-j. § 2. Section 305 of the education law is amended by
adding a new subdivision 57.
JUSTIFICATION:
There is a clear lack of communication, and emergency protocols regard-
ing City School bus procedures with regard to weather events, and the
safe return of children, especially special needs children, who are
passengers. In the event of an emergency where roadways are often
congested, dangerous and at a traffic standstill due to unpredictable
weather events many parents and guardians are left without clear cut
guidelines for locating their children, or with preparations made for
their retrieval. The children are stranded on the vehicle in many cases
for hours without the means to effectively attain comfort on many
levels; inadequate heating, lack of food and water, as well as being
unable to reach restroom facilities. This bill seeks to implement tech-
nology in tracking these buses so that in the incident of a weather
event or any unpredictable disaster there is a means for location and
retrieval in a safe manner for these school children.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: A.2132 Simon - referred to transportation
2020-19: A.3499 Simon - referred to transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
to be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2316
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 25, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK,
DAVILA, DeSTEFANO, HYNDMAN, PAULIN, REILLY, REYES, SAYEGH, TAYLOR --
read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the education law, in
relation to using GPS and implementing an emergency communications
system on school buses
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 21-k to read as follows:
3 21-k. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of
4 education, shall promulgate rules and regulations for the use of global
5 positioning system technologies and protocols for an emergency communi-
6 cations system on school buses. Such emergency communications system
7 shall utilize the global positioning system technologies to assist driv-
8 ers and passengers in the event of an emergency or a situation where
9 such school buses need to be located and assisted.
10 § 2. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
11 subdivision 57 to read as follows:
12 57. The commissioner, in consultation with the boards of education of
13 the state, shall assist the commissioner of motor vehicles in promulgat-
14 ing rules and regulations for the use of global positioning system tech-
15 nologies and protocols for an emergency communications system on school
16 buses pursuant to subdivision twenty-one-k of section three hundred
17 seventy-five of the vehicle and traffic law.
18 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01976-01-3
