What's happening
This bill creates a "Yellow Alert" system in New York to quickly notify the public after fatal or serious injury hit-and-run incidents.
Why it matters
Increases public safety and rapid response. By enabling quick dissemination of information about fatal or serious injury hit-and-run incidents, the system can help law enforcement apprehend suspects faster, potentially preventing further harm or additional crimes.
Relies on community involvement. The alert encourages, but does not require, participation from media outlets and digital signage networks, creating opportunities for broad public awareness and crowdsourced tips that may assist investigations.
Limits use to serious cases with actionable information. Activation is only allowed when there is a death or serious injury and when law enforcement has identifying information (such as a vehicle description or suspect identity), ensuring the alert is used judiciously and not for minor incidents.
Establishes a clear protocol for activation and coordination. Local law enforcement must coordinate with the New York State Police to activate the alert, ensuring consistency and oversight in its deployment.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Alert for Deadly Hit-and-Runs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 55
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3859
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 27, 2017
Introduced by Sen. FUNKE -- 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 the creation of a yellow alert system to be activated when a hit and run has resulted in death or serious injury
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new article 22-A to read as follows:
ARTICLE 22-A
YELLOW ALERT SYSTEM
Section 620. Short title.
621. Definitions.
622. Procedure.
§ 620. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as the "yellow alert system".
§ 621. Definitions. As used in this article: 1. "Yellow alert" shall mean a notification system, activated pursuant to section six hundred twenty-two of this article, designed to coordinate alerts with respect to a hit and run incident resulting in the death or injury of a person as described in subdivision four of section six hundred twenty-two of this article.
2. "Hit and run" shall mean when a driver of a vehicle who is involved in a collision with another vehicle, property or human being, knowingly fails to stop to give his or her name, license number, and other information as required by section six hundred of this title.
§ 622. Procedure. 1. If a hit and run incident is reported to a law enforcement agency, and that agency determines that the requirements of subdivision four of this section are met, the agency may request the New York state police to activate a yellow alert. If the New York state
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06658-01-7
S. 3859 2
police concurs that the requirements of subdivision four of this section are met, it shall activate a yellow alert within the geographic area requested by the investigating law enforcement agency.
2. Radio, television, and cable and satellite systems are encouraged, but are not required, to cooperate with disseminating the information contained in a yellow alert.
3. Upon activation of a yellow alert, the New York state police shall assist the investigating law enforcement agency by issuing the yellow alert via a local digital sign.
4. A law enforcement agency may request that a yellow alert be activated if that agency determines that the following conditions are met in regard to the investigation of the hit and run incident:
a. A person has been killed or has suffered serious bodily injury due to a hit and run incident;
b. The investigating law enforcement agency has additional information concerning the suspect or the suspect's vehicle, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
(i) The complete license plate number of the suspect's vehicle;
(ii) A partial license plate number and the make, model, and color of the suspect's vehicle;
(iii) The identity of the suspect; and
c. Public dissemination of available information could either help avert further harm or accelerate apprehension of the suspect.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the creation of a yellow alert system to be activated when a hit and run has resulted in death or serious injury
Purpose
This legislation would create a yellow alert system to be activated when a hit and run has resulted in death or serious injury; similar to the amber alert or silver alert systems.
Summary of provisions
Section one adds article 22-A which creates the Yellow Alert System
Section two contains the effective date
Justification
The Yellow Alert System would be modeled after the current Amber Alert System. In order to help law enforcement agencies track down suspects in hit-and-run accidents where someone was killed or seriously injured this system could make all the difference. To utilize the system, the investigating agency has to have some very specific information such as, full or partial license plate, description of the vehicle or the identity of the suspect. While many hit-and-run cases are hard to solve because a suspect flees the scene and little is known about the vehicle involved; the creation of this system may encourage witnesses to stay on the scene or contact law enforcement with information that could be used to track down the suspect.
While the Yellow Alert System would be useful in catching criminals, the hope would be that it would also deter those involved in an accident from fleeing the scene. If the public knows that they could potentially be found out because their information is going to be broadcast, then maybe they will rethink fleeing.
California adopted this system in the 2015 Legislative cycle. Denver, Colorado implemented a hit-and-run system in 2012 that led to a 76t arrest rate in cases in which the authorities activated the alert. Due to its success in Denver, Colorado lawmakers expanded it statewide.
Legislative history
New Bill
Fiscal implications
TBD
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become law
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.