What's happening
This bill requires police officers to notify a deceased accident victim's family in person unless already notified by another official.
Why it matters
Promotes dignity and compassion. By requiring in-person notification, the bill aims to ensure that families receive news of a loved one's death in a more sensitive and supportive manner, rather than through impersonal means like phone calls or letters.
Clarifies police responsibility. The legislation specifically outlines when police are responsible for notifying families, addressing potential confusion about whether law enforcement or another official (like a coroner) should make contact.
Provides detailed information to families. The required notification must include key details such as the time of death, accident location, and where the deceased's body or remains are located—helping families receive crucial information promptly and directly.
Excludes cases where the deceased might have been charged. The bill carves out an exception for situations where the deceased would have likely been charged with a violation, focusing the requirement on victims rather than alleged offenders.
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Who cares
Police officers
Officers would have to make reasonable efforts to identify and notify a deceased person's family or household member in person as soon as practicable after a fatal accident, subject to the bill's conditions.
Families and household members of fatal accident victims
They would receive in-person notice stating the time of death, accident location and location of the body or remains when the notification requirement applies.
Coroners and officials performing similar functions
Whether they have already notified a family member would determine whether an officer who knows of the death must attempt an in-person notification.
Headline styles
Require In-Person Death Notification
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
13 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Print number 4546a
- Amend and recommit to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require In-Person Death Notification
In Senate Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4546--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. COOK, TITUS, ORTIZ, JOYNER, D'URSO, DICKENS, GALEF, JAFFEE, TAYLOR, LAVINE, HUNTER, ARROYO, DAVILA, WILLIAMS -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. DenDEKKER, EPSTEIN, GRIFFIN, HEVESI, HYNDMAN, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring police officers to notify family members in person of a relative's death in certain circumstances
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Valeria's law".
§ 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 603-c to read as follows:
§ 603-c. Accidents; police to notify in person. Every police officer to whom an accident resulting in death to a person in which the police officer does not have reasonable cause to believe the deceased would otherwise have been charged with a violation of this chapter for the conduct which resulted in his or her death, shall use reasonable efforts to identify and notify in person a member of the deceased's family or household as soon as practicable after such accident if the police officer has knowledge of the person's death and has knowledge that a coroner, or other official performing like functions has not already notified a family member. Such personal notification shall indicate without limitation the time of the deceased's death, the location of the accident, and the location of the deceased's body or remains.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07433-03-9
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.