Senate Bill S4829

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S4829

SPONSOR: RYAN C
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing the "Hoosock
and Jensen law" which increases the designation of certain offenses
relating to unlawfully fleeing a police officer

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to increase the designation of offenses
relating to unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of this bill would establish the title of this law as the
"Hoosock and Jensen law."

Section 2 of this bill would amend section 270.25 of the Penal Law to
establish that unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in
the third degree is a class E felony.
              

Section 3 of this bill would amend section 270.30 of the Penal Law to
establish that unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in
the second degree is a class D violent felony offense.

Section 4 of this bill would amend section 270.35 of the Penal Law to
establish that unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in
the first degree is a class B violent felony offense.

Section 5 of this bill provides that the effective date shall take
effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it
shall have become law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

On the evening of April 14, 2024, City of Syracuse police officers were
conducting a routine traffic stop when the driver fled the scene in his
vehicle at high speed. Officers were able to trace the vehicle back to
the suspect's residence, where both Syracuse City and Onondaga County
officers responded. This ultimately led to the suspect shooting at
police on scene with a high powered rifle, killing Onondaga County Sher-
iff's Lieutenant Michael "Hootch" Hoosock and Syracuse City Police Offi-
cer Michael E. Jensen.

This heinous crime and tragedy highlights the dangers of suspects flee-
ing from Police officers in a moter vehicle. The United States Depart-
ment of Transportation estimates that over 200,000 high speed chases
occur every year in the U.S., with between 6,000 and 8,000 resulting in
collisions. The current charges for unlawful fleeing of a police officer
do not reflect the danger faced by both the public and law enforcement
in these situations. With approximately 5,000 individuals suffering
injuries, and 500 being killed in such vehicle chases yearly, it is
imperative that the consequences for these actions are comparable.  This
bill would increase the charges for unlawful fleeing from a police offi-
cer in the third degree, second degree, and first degree.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S9781 (Mannion) - Referred to Codes.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

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