Callahan Submits Testimony on His Proposal Regarding Emergency Contact Information

Hartford—The Legislature’s Transportation Committee held a public hearing on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 on a number of proposed bills, including one submitted by State Representative Patrick Callahan (R-108). H.B. 5370, An Act Concerning Emergency Contact Information and Notification, would enable law enforcement officers to contact the family of an injured or deceased person more quickly and efficiently.

The proposed bill would require the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to obtain the name and telephone number of an emergency contact person from each person who applies for or renews an operator’s license, permit or identity card. The information would be provided to a law enforcement officer, when requested, in an emergency.

“I raised this proposal in response to a bill passed last year concerning the timely reporting by police of a death (H.B. 5349). My proposal this session is simple, making accurate emergency contact information readily available to law enforcement. This would make compliance with notification parameters put in place by H.B. 5370 more efficient, removing speculation on who should be contacted in the event of an untimely death,” said Callahan.

According to Rep. Callahan, over the coming days testimony will be considered by the members of the Transportation Committee. After members have had a chance to deliberate on the bill, it must be approved by the committee by Monday, March 20, in order for it to move forward in the legislative process.