What's happening
This bill updates rules for retaining motor vehicle records and allows the commissioner to set retention schedules for unspecified records.
Why it matters
Increases flexibility for record retention. By allowing the commissioner to set retention schedules for records not specifically listed in the law, the bill enables more tailored and potentially efficient management of vehicle-related documents.
Potentially impacts privacy and transparency. Changing how long certain records are kept may affect individuals’ privacy (if personal data is deleted sooner) or the public’s ability to access historical information (if records are destroyed earlier than before).
Modernizes record-keeping with expert input. Requiring consultation with the state archives incorporates professional archival standards, which could improve how records are preserved, accessed, and eventually disposed of—balancing legal, historical, and administrative needs.
Could result in operational cost savings or risks. Streamlining retention could reduce storage costs and administrative burden, but may also introduce risks if important records are inadvertently destroyed too early, affecting legal or administrative outcomes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Set Vehicle Record Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2619
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 24, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GANTT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the retention of motor vehicle records
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (i) of subdivision 1 of section 201 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by section 2 of part E of chapter 60 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
(i) any accident reports filed with the commissioner, conviction certificates, police reports, complaints, satisfied judgment records, closed suspension and revocation orders, hearing records, other than audio tape recordings of hearings, and significant correspondence relating to any of the same[, and any other record on file] after remaining on file for four years except that if the commissioner shall receive, during the last year of such period of four years, written notice to retain one or more of such papers or documents, the same shall be retained for another four years in addition to said period of four years. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to certificates of conviction filed with respect to convictions which affect sentencing or administrative action required by law beyond such four year period. Such certificates may be destroyed after they have no legal effect on sentencing or administrative action;
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 201 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new paragraph (l) to read as follows:
(l) for any other record not specified in this section, the commissioner or his or her designee shall establish a retention schedule in consultation with the state archives pursuant to section 57.05 of the arts and cultural affairs law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00143-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.