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Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- 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.
Abbagail's law prohibits supervising drivers from acting under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
In Senate Committee · Transportation · Sponsor George D. Maziarz
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A10780
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to acting as a supervising driver while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
Purpose
Provides that any individual acting as supervising driver while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs shall be guilty of a class a misdemeanor.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 2 Paragraph (a) amends the vehicle and traffic law to specify that a learning permit holder may not operate a motor vehicle with any front seat occupants other that the supervising"driver who is not under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Section 3 states that any individual acting as a supervising driver while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor
Section 4 states that said supervising drivers shall be charged accord- ingly.
Justification
In early September of 2009 Abbagail Buzard, an eight year old from Orleans County was tragically killed. Her father, who had been drinking at a family fathering, convinced his seventeen year old cousin to drive him to the store with a learners permit. They proceeded to load the vehicle.with.two young children who were placed in car seats in the rear of the car, along with a fourteen year old. The driver was operating the vehicle at unreasonable speeds on a curvy road. She lost control of the Vehicle and eight-year old Abbagail was thrown from the vehicle as it rolled over three times down an embankment. The vehicle came to rest right side up and in a swamp, with Abbagail trapped under- neath. She dies before emergency personnel could respond to the scene. While that driver of the car that night violated numerous laws, the supervising adult, Abbagial's father who was under the influence of alcohol could not be held responsible for his actions. This bill would change that dynamic by allowing a supervising driver who is under influ- ence of alcohol and/or drugs to be charged with a class A misdemeanor.
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.