NY State Senate Bill 2013-S6626

Senate Bill S6626

2013-2014 Legislative Session

Enacts "Charlotte's Law" relating to the permanent termination of licenses of persistent vehicle and traffic law violators

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 19, 2014	referred to transportation

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2013-S6626 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6341
Current Committee:: Senate Transportation
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Amd Art 20 Art Head, add §510-d, amd §§1146 & 511, V & T L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: A8934
2015-2016: S1867, A2014
2017-2018: S2426
2019-2020: S382
2021-2022: S232
2023-2024: S296

2013-S6626 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts "Charlotte's Law"; relates to the permanent termination of licenses of persistent vehicle and traffic law violators who have been convicted of certain violations three times in a 25 year period.

2013-S6626 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S6626

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to enacting "Charlotte's Law" relating to the termination of
driving privileges of persistent vehicle and traffic law violators

PURPOSE:

This bill would strengthen the Vehicle and Traffic Law in order to
better protect the public against chronic reckless drivers who have
multiple convictions for DWI or other reckless behavior which caused
fatalities or serious injuries. The bill would provide for the
permanent termination of a person's ability to drive a motor vehicle
where such person has been convicted of such repeat violations.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 provides that this act shall be known and may be cited as
"Charlotte's Law."

Section 2 amends the heading for Article 20 of the Vehicle and Traffic
Law to reference the "termination" of licenses.

Section 3 adds a new Section 510-d to the Vehicle and Traffic Law to
provide for the permanent revocation of the driving privileges of
"persistent vehicle and traffic law violators." This new section

defines a "persistent vehicle and traffic law violator" as a person
who has been convicted of any combination of three designated offenses
within the previous 25 years. These designated offenses include:

- offenses defined in section 1192 VTL (operating a motor vehicle
while under the influence of alcohol or drugs);
- offenses defined in section 1192-a VTL (the operation of a motor
vehicle by a person under the age of 21 after having consumed
alcohol);
- violations of section 1146(b) or (c) VTL (causing physical injury to
a pedestrian or bicyclist while failing to exercise due care);
- vehicular manslaughter in the first or second degree;
- aggravated vehicular homicide; and
- manslaughter in the first or second degree in which the death was
caused by the offender's operation of a motor vehicle in violation of
the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

Section 4 adds a new subdivision (e) to section 1146 VTL (regarding
failure to exercise due care) to provide that a third violation within
25 years shall constitute a Class E felony, punishable by imprisonment
and/or a fine, as well as by the permanent termination of driving
privileges.

Section 5 amends 511(3) VTL to expand the crime of aggravated
unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree to include
the operation of a motor vehicle while under permanent termination of
a license. In addition, this crime is currently defined to apply in
cases where a person is driving without a license while having in
effect ten or more separate suspensions -- this bill would lower the
number of suspensions to six.


EXISTING LAW:

Although State law indicates that drivers may be subject to a
"permanent" revocation of their driver's license, this action is not
necessarily 'permanent," as violators can -- and often do -apply and
get their license reissued.

JUSTIFICATION:

There continue to be numerous fatalities and accidents in New York
State which are caused by persons who have had their driver's licenses
suspended or revoked on multiple occasions, yet are able to keep
getting their licenses renewed.

Charlotte Gallo, a senior citizen from Schenectady, New York, was
killed by a truck speeding through an intersection near Proctor's
Theatre on January 2, 2010. Charlotte was leaving Proctors after a
night of volunteering for the organization. The individual driving the
truck had a long record of violating the vehicle and traffic laws,
including a previous accident resulting in personal injury. In another
local case, a Schenectady woman has been charged with DWI eight times
and recently received another conviction. Nevertheless, after
finishing her jail time, she may be able to once again get a driver's
license.

These are just two of numerous examples that occur throughout the
State. These chronic, reckless drivers are a danger to the public and
need to understand that their actions have consequences. This
legislation seeks to break the cycle in which such persons continually
have their licenses revoked and then reissued. This legislation makes
it clear that the driver will face permanent consequences for
committing repeated serious violations. Driving is a privilege, and
those who are so cavalier as to repeatedly break the law through their
dangerous driving should be kept off the road and no longer given the
privilege of driving in New York.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

This bill is not expected to have a direct impact on the state budget.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become law.

2013-S6626 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6626

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 19, 2014
                               ___________

Introduced by Sens. FARLEY, MARCHIONE -- read twice and ordered printed,
  and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation

AN  ACT  to  amend  the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to enacting
  "Charlotte's Law" relating to the termination of driving privileges of
  persistent vehicle and traffic law violators

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  This  act shall be known and may be cited as "Charlotte's
Law".
  S 2. The article heading of article 20 of the vehicle and traffic  law
is amended to read as follows:

                    SUSPENSION [AND], REVOCATION AND
                               TERMINATION

  S  3.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
510-d to read as follows:
  S 510-D. TERMINATION OF DRIVING PRIVILEGES OF PERSISTENT  VEHICLE  AND
TRAFFIC  LAW  VIOLATORS. 1. DEFINITION OF PERSISTENT VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC
LAW VIOLATOR. A PERSON IS A PERSISTENT VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW  VIOLATOR
IF  SUCH  PERSON  HAS  BEEN  CONVICTED THREE TIMES, WITHIN THE PRECEDING
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS, OF ANY COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING OFFENSES:
  (A) ANY OFFENSES DEFINED IN SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED NINETY-TWO OF  THIS
CHAPTER; OR
  (B) ANY OFFENSE DEFINED IN SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED NINETY-TWO-A OF THIS
CHAPTER; OR
  (C)  ANY VIOLATION OF SUBDIVISION (B) OR (C) OF SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED
FORTY-SIX OF THIS CHAPTER; OR
  (D) VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER IN THE SECOND DEGREE AS DEFINED IN  SECTION
125.12  OF  THE PENAL LAW, VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER IN THE FIRST DEGREE AS
DEFINED IN SECTION 125.13 OF THE  PENAL  LAW,  OR  AGGRAVATED  VEHICULAR
HOMICIDE AS DEFINED IN SECTION 125.14 OF THE PENAL LAW; OR
  (E) MANSLAUGHTER IN THE SECOND DEGREE AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF
SECTION  125.15 OF THE PENAL LAW, OR MANSLAUGHTER IN THE FIRST DEGREE AS

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                           LBD07893-03-4

S. 6626                             2

DEFINED BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION 125.20 OF THE PENAL LAW, IN  WHICH
THE  DEATH  WAS  CAUSED BY AN OFFENDER'S OPERATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE IN
VIOLATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER.
  2.    PERSISTENT VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW VIOLATOR LICENSES AND DRIVING
PRIVILEGES SHALL BE PERMANENTLY TERMINATED, INCLUDING THE DRIVING PRIVI-
LEGES OF A NON-RESIDENT OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE IN THIS STATE AND  THE
PRIVILEGE  OF  AN UNLICENSED PERSON OF OBTAINING A LICENSE ISSUED BY THE
COMMISSIONER.
  3. THE JUDGE SHALL  ISSUE  AN  ORDER  REVOKING  AND  TERMINATING  SUCH
LICENSE  UPON  CONVICTION,  AND  THE LICENSE HOLDER SHALL SURRENDER SUCH
LICENSE TO THE COURT.
  4. NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION  SHALL  PREVENT  THE  COURT  FROM
IMPOSING  ANY OTHER AUTHORIZED DISPOSITION AND NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS
SECTION SHALL PROHIBIT THE IMPOSITION OF A CHARGE OF ANY  OTHER  OFFENSE
SET  FORTH  IN  THIS  CHAPTER OR ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW FOR ANY ACTS
ARISING OUT OF THE SAME INCIDENT.
  S 4. Subdivision (e) of section 1146 of the vehicle and traffic law is
relettered subdivision (f) and a new subdivision (e) is added to read as
follows:
  (E) A VIOLATION OF SUBDIVISION (B) OR (C) OF THIS SECTION COMMITTED BY
A PERSON WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONVICTED  OF  ANY  TWO  VIOLATIONS  OF
EITHER  OR  BOTH  OF  SUCH SUBDIVISIONS WITHIN THE PRECEDING TWENTY-FIVE
YEARS SHALL CONSTITUTE A CLASS E FELONY PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF NOT MORE
THAN THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS, OR BY IMPRISONMENT AS PROVIDED BY THE PENAL
LAW OR BY ANY COMBINATION OF SUCH FINE OR IMPRISONMENT, AND BY PERMANENT
TERMINATION OF DRIVING PRIVILEGES, IN ADDITION TO  ANY  OTHER  PENALTIES
PROVIDED BY LAW.
  S  5.  Subdivision 3 of section 511 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
amended by chapter 420 of the laws of 1989, paragraph (a) as amended  by
chapter  732 of the laws of 2006, subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) as
amended and subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (a) as added by  chapter  169
of the laws of 2013, and paragraph (b) as separately amended by chapters
786 and 892 of the laws of 1990, is amended to read as follows:
  3.  Aggravated  unlicensed  operation  of a motor vehicle in the first
degree. (a) A person is guilty of the offense of  aggravated  unlicensed
operation  of  a motor vehicle in the first degree when such person: (i)
commits the offense of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor  vehi-
cle in the second degree as provided in subparagraph (ii), (iii) or (iv)
of  paragraph  (a) of subdivision two of this section and is operating a
motor vehicle while  under  the  influence  of  alcohol  or  a  drug  in
violation of subdivision one, two, two-a, three, four, four-a or five of
section eleven hundred ninety-two of this chapter; or
  (ii) commits the offense of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor
vehicle  in  the  third  degree  as  defined  in subdivision one of this
section; and is operating a motor  vehicle  while  such  person  has  in
effect  [ten]  SIX  or  more  suspensions, imposed on at least [ten] SIX
separate dates for failure to answer, appear or pay a fine, pursuant  to
subdivision  three  of section two hundred twenty-six of this chapter or
subdivision four-a of section five hundred ten of this article; or
  (iii) commits the offense of  aggravated  unlicensed  operation  of  a
motor  vehicle in the third degree as defined in subdivision one of this
section; and is operating a motor vehicle while under permanent  revoca-
tion as set forth in subparagraph twelve of paragraph (b) of subdivision
two of section eleven hundred ninety-three of this chapter; or
  (iv)  operates  a  motor vehicle upon a public highway while holding a
conditional license issued pursuant  to  paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision

S. 6626                             3

seven  of  section eleven hundred ninety-six of this chapter while under
the influence of alcohol or a drug in violation of subdivision one, two,
two-a, three, four, four-a or five of section eleven hundred  ninety-two
of this chapter[.]; OR
  (V)  OPERATES A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE UNDER PERMANENT TERMINATION AS SET
FORTH IN SECTION FIVE HUNDRED TEN-D OF THIS ARTICLE.
  (b) Aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle  in  the  first
degree  is  a  class E felony. When a person is convicted of this crime,
the sentence of the court must be: (i) a fine in an amount not less than
five hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars; (II) PERMANENT
TERMINATION AS SET FORTH IN SUBPARAGRAPH  TWELVE  OF  PARAGRAPH  (B)  OF
SUBDIVISION  TWO  OF SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED NINETY-THREE OF THIS CHAPTER
and [(ii)] (III) a term of imprisonment as provided in the penal law, or
[(iii)] (IV) where  appropriate  and  a  term  of  imprisonment  is  not
required by the penal law, a sentence of probation as provided in subdi-
vision  six  of  this section, or [(iv)] (V) a term of imprisonment as a
condition of a sentence of probation as provided in the penal law.
  S 6. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a law.

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Senate Bill S6626

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Sponsored By

Hugh T. Farley