Posted: | February 21, 2017 11:45 AM |
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From: | Senator Lawrence M. Farnese, Jr. |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Hit and Run - Multiple Victim Penalties and DUI Enhancements |
In the near future, I plan to reintroduce Senate Bill 589, legislation that would address hit and run accidents involving death or personal injury under Title 75, §3742. In 2012, HB 208 (Reed) was signed into law, which provided for sentencing enhancements for hit and runs resulting in death. This bill is similar to SB 889 of the 2011-2012 legislative session, which moved out of the Senate Transportation Committee. However, several changes have been made with the help of Senator John Rafferty, the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office and Mark Bergstrom at the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing. Specifically, this legislation provides for an additional fine and consecutive minimum sentence to be served for each victim who suffers serious bodily injury (SBI) or death due to a hit and run. The legislation also provides sentencing enhancements if the assailant was driving under the influence, terms that would be required to be served consecutively under the bill. Hit and run accidents can have the devastating effects on individuals and their loved ones. We need to ensure that individuals who attempt to evade their responsibility when they cause an accident and do not stop are held accountable. Each life that is impacted by a hit and run accident deserves to be given adequate justice. Previous cosponsors included Senators Blake, Brewster, Costa, Fontana, Hughes, Rafferty and Tartaglione. Please join me in sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as SB476