Int. No. 1047
By Council Members Vernikov, Brannan, Restler, Schulman, Louis, Feliz, Abreu, Velázquez, Riley, Hanks, Menin, Brewer and Paladino
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the creation of a publicly accessible online database and notification system for towed vehicles
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 14 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 14-184.1 to read as follows:
§ 14-184.1 Public online database for towed vehicles. a. The department shall create a centralized online database, accessible through the department’s website, to allow vehicle owners to track information on towed vehicles within the city. Such information shall include, but need not be limited to, the make and model of the vehicle, the license plate number, the reason the vehicle was towed, the tow operator, and the location and hours during which the vehicle may be retrieved.
b. The department shall create a notification system that allows vehicle owners to opt-in to text or electronic mail alerts notifying the owner that the owner’s vehicle information has been entered into the online database.
c. The information required pursuant to subdivision a must be published on the online database within 2 hours after any vehicle is towed by the department, any tow operator authorized pursuant to section 20-498 or section 20-524, or any other entity, including but not limited to the sheriff or any city marshal. The information shall be published on the online database by the entity towing the vehicle.
§ 2. Section 20-528 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 3 for the year 1996, is amended to read as follows:
§ 20-528. Police precinct notification. a. Within two hours subsequent to the towing of any motor vehicle pursuant to any provision of this code, any rules promulgated pursuant thereto or any rules promulgated by the department of transportation pursuant to any other provision of law, the tow truck operator or his or her designee shall notify the local police precinct either in person or by electronic submission that the vehicle was towed. Such information shall be made available, upon request, to the owner of the vehicle or to any person authorized by the owner to have possession of the vehicle[.], and shall be entered into the police department online database for towed vehicles pursuant to section 14-184.1. Such list shall include the make and model of the vehicle, its license plate number, the reason why the vehicle was towed and the location and hours during which the vehicle may be retrieved.
b. The provisions of subdivision a shall not apply where such towing is conducted in the physical presence of or with the consent of a person in charge of the vehicle. [or where, within two hours of such towing, information relating to such towing is entered by or on behalf of a governmental official or agency into the New York statewide police information network.]
§ 3. This local law takes effect 180 days after becoming law.
APM
LS #11603
4/18/2023