NY State Senate Bill 2025-S8018

Senate Bill S8018

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Enacts "CJ's law" in relation to increasing the penalties for leaving the scene of an accident without reporting where such accident resulted in the death of a minor

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

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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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 29, 2025	advanced to third reading
May 28, 2025	2nd report cal.
May 27, 2025	1st report cal.1323
May 15, 2025	referred to transportation

Votes

- May 27, 2025 - Transportation Committee Vote
  S8018
  
  12
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Transportation Committee Vote: May 27, 2025
      
      aye (12)
      
      Bynoe
      
      Cooney
      
      Gallivan
      
      Griffo
      
      Harckham
      
      Hinchey
      
      Liu
      
      Martinez
      
      Mattera
      
      Oberacker
      
      Persaud
      
      Ramos
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Fernandez

2025-S8018 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A4210
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §600, V & T L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: A7093

2025-S8018 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts "CJ's law" in relation to increasing the penalties for leaving the scene of an accident without reporting where such accident resulted in the death of a minor to a class C felony punishable by a fine of not less than four thousand nor more than eight thousand dollars in addition to any other penalties provided by law.

2025-S8018 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8018

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to increasing
the penalties for leaving the scene of an accident without reporting
where such accident resulted in the death of a minor

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation will enact CJ's Law, which increases the penalties for
leaving the scene of an accident. without reporting where such accident
resulted in the death of a minor.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 sets what the act shall be known and may be cited as.

Section 2 amends paragraph c of subdivision 2 of section 600 of the-veh-
icle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 497 of the laws of 2022 to
add additional language outlining that any injury from leaving the scene

of a car accident without reporting where such accident results in the
death of a minor shall constitute a Class C Felony punishable by a fine
of not less than four thousand dollars nor more than eight thousand
dollars in addition to any other penalties provided by law.

Section 3 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This legislation is named after ChristOpher Jack "CJ" Hackett, who was a
16 year-old Yonkers native who was tragically killed as the result of a
hit-and-run while riding an electric scooter in August 2022 by an
alleged drunk driver.

Children are among the most vulnerable members' of our society, and
their deaths leave lasting scars not only in their families but also in
their communities, schools and friend groups. By increasing the penalty
for leaving the scene of an accident without reporting where such acci-
dent resulted in the death of a minor, we can send a strong message that
this behavior will not be tolerated in New York State, We can also
provide a deterrent effect and discourage individuals from leaving the
scene of an accident, while providing justice for the family and friends
of the victims, who deserve to see those responsible for their child's
death held accountable for their actions.

Furthermore, this bill can help protect other innocent people on the
road, as drivers who leave the scene of an accident without reporting
may continue to drive recklessly and put others in danger. With the
possibility of increased penalties, we can help prevent future accidents
from occurring and protect our communities.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-24: A7093 - Referred to Transportation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect six months after it shall have become a law.

2025-S8018 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8018
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- 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  increasing
   the  penalties  for leaving the scene of an accident without reporting
   where such accident resulted in the death of a minor

   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 "CJ's law".
   §  2.  Paragraph  c of subdivision 2 of section 600 of the vehicle and
 traffic law, as amended by chapter 497 of the laws of 2022,  is  amended
 to read as follows:
   c.  A  violation  of the provisions of paragraph a of this subdivision
 resulting solely from the failure of an operator to exhibit [his or her]
 THEIR license and insurance  identification  card  for  the  vehicle  or
 exchange  the  information required in such paragraph shall constitute a
 class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less  than  two  hundred
 fifty nor more than five hundred dollars in addition to any other penal-
 ties  provided  by law. Any subsequent such violation shall constitute a
 class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than  five  hundred
 nor  more  than  one thousand dollars in addition to any other penalties
 provided by law. Any violation of the provisions of paragraph a of  this
 subdivision,  other  than for the mere failure of an operator to exhibit
 [his or her] THEIR license and insurance identification  card  for  such
 vehicle  or  exchange  the information required in such paragraph, shall
 constitute a class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less  than
 seven  hundred fifty dollars nor more than one thousand dollars in addi-
 tion to any other penalties provided by law. Any such violation  commit-
 ted  by a person after such person has previously been convicted of such
 a violation shall constitute a class E felony, punishable by a  fine  of
 not less than one thousand nor more than three thousand dollars in addi-
 tion  to  any  other  penalties  provided  by  law. Any violation of the
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06588-01-5

 S. 8018                             2
 
 provisions of paragraph a of this subdivision, other than for  the  mere
 failure  of an operator to exhibit [his or her] THEIR license and insur-
 ance identification card for such vehicle or  exchange  the  information
 required  in  such  paragraph,  where  the  personal injury involved (i)
 results in serious physical injury, as defined in section 10.00  of  the
 penal  law,  shall  constitute a class E felony, punishable by a fine of
 not less than one thousand nor more than five thousand dollars in  addi-
 tion  to any other penalties provided by law, [or] (ii) results in death
 shall constitute a class D felony punishable by a fine of not less  than
 two  thousand  nor  more  than  five thousand dollars in addition to any
 other penalties provided by law, OR (III) RESULTS IN DEATH  OF  A  MINOR
 SHALL  CONSTITUTE A CLASS C FELONY PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN
 FOUR THOUSAND NOR MORE THAN EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS IN  ADDITION  TO  ANY
 OTHER PENALTIES PROVIDED BY LAW.
   §  3. This act shall take effect six months after it shall have become
 a law.

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