New York Post: State senate votes to stiffen unlicensed driving penalties

Kristan Conley and Carl Campanile

Originally published in New York Post

The state Senate unanimously passed legislation Monday that would stiffen criminal penalties against unlicensed drivers who kill or seriously injure someone.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens), would make it a Class E felony to seriously injure a person while driving with a suspended or revoked license — or a Class D felony for an accident that results in death, which would be categorized as a new crime called “vehicular homicide.”

Currently, unlicensed drivers involved in accidents typically get slapped with misdemeanors.

Gianaris redoubled his efforts to enact a tougher penalty after 13-year-old Kevin Flores was struck and killed while riding his bike in Brooklyn in January.

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