What's happening
Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.
Why it matters
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
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.
Penalizes crimes of vehicular assault and vehicular manslaughter as felonies when committed while driving with a suspended or revoked license
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor Robert Sweeney
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the penal law, in relation to penalties for causing serious injury or death while knowingly operating a motor vehicle with a revoked or suspended license
Purpose or general idea of bill
To create two new felony crimes addressing those who cause such serious physical injury or death by operation of a motor vehicle while knowing or having reason to know that his or her license or privilege of operating a motor vehicle is suspended or revoked.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 provides for the amending of Section 120.03 of the Penal Law, as separately amended by Chapters 427 and 805 of the Laws of 1992 and subdivision 3 as amended by Chapter 629 of the Laws of 1998 to include the new crime of causing serious physical injury by operation of a motor vehicle while knowing or having reason to know that one's license or privilege of operating a motor vehicle is suspended or revoked pursuant to provisions of five hundred ten of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, as vehicular assault in the second degree, which is a class E felony.
Section 2 also provides for the amending of Section 125.12 of the Penal Law, as separately amended by Chapters 427 and 805 of the Laws of 1992 and subdivision 3 as amended by Chapter 629 of the Laws of 1998 to include the new crime of causing the death of such other person by operation of a motor vehicle while knowing or having reason to know that his or her license or privilege of operating a motor vehicle is Suspended or revoked pursuant to provisions of section five hundred ten of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, as vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, which is a class D felony.
Justification
Under current law any person who commits vehicular assault, or vehicular manslaughter, while operating a motor vehicle while knowing or having reason to know that his or her license or privilege of operating a motor vehicle is suspended or revoked, pursuant to provisions of section five hundred ten of the vehicle and traffic law, may not face serious criminal penalties.
The injuries and tragedies associated with these vehicular accidents are ultimately preventable. An individual who operates a motor vehicle while knowing or having reason to know that his or her license or privilege of operating a motor vehicle is making a conscious decision to disregard their suspension or revocation, and by doing so are putting lives in danger.
Individuals with suspended or revoked licenses should not be operating motor vehicles. Law enforcement must be given the ability to prosecute such individuals to make our roadways safer.
Prior legislative history
01/25/05 Referred to Codes; 01/04/06 Referred to codes; 01/17/07 Referred to codes; 01/09/08 Referred to codes.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.