Requires 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 to be included in accident reports and for such information to be disclosed in reports made by motor vehicle condition reporting agencies.
Summary
S02381 would require New York accident reports to include the cost or estimated cost of repairs for any motor vehicle damaged in a crash, or a notation that no damage occurred if applicable. It also directs the Department of Motor Vehicles commissioner to make damage and repair-cost information available to motor vehicle condition reporting agencies.
The bill further amends the General Business Law to define “motor vehicle condition reporting agency” and requires any report from such an agency that includes accident history to also include the repair-cost information or a no-damage notation. In effect, the measure is aimed at making accident-related vehicle condition data more complete and consistent across official reports and third-party vehicle history reports.
Impact
The bill would amend Vehicle and Traffic Law section 604 and add new Vehicle and Traffic Law section 607, while also adding General Business Law section 399-vv. These changes would expand the required contents of accident reports, create a new disclosure obligation for the DMV commissioner, and impose a new reporting requirement on vehicle condition reporting agencies that compile or sell vehicle history information. The practical effect would be to affect drivers involved in reportable accidents, the DMV, law enforcement and local clerks distributing report forms, and companies that provide vehicle history or condition reports to consumers and businesses.
Sentiment
The available record shows the bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Transportation Committee, but there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided. As a result, there is no documented debate or formal vote history in the supplied materials to indicate support or opposition. The bill’s stated purpose suggests a consumer-information and transparency rationale, but the overall sentiment from the provided record cannot be assessed beyond its introduction and referral.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the supplied transcripts or votes. Potential areas of concern, based on the bill text, could include the administrative burden on the DMV and reporting agencies, the accuracy and availability of repair-cost estimates at the time of reporting, and how the new disclosure requirement might affect vehicle history reporting practices. However, these concerns are not attributed to any particular legislator, agency, or stakeholder in the materials provided.
Requires 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 to be included in accident reports and for such information to be disclosed in reports made by motor vehicle condition reporting agencies.
Article V Convention; process for appointing commissioners and alternate commissioners to represent the State of Alabama at Article V Convention established