A3983

The New York State Senate passed Angelica's Law on a roll call vote of 59-0, lowering the threshold for felony charges related to driving with suspended licenses from 10 to 5 suspensions. The bill, designated as Assembly Bill 3983 (Calendar Number 1637), was named after Angelica Nappi, a 16-year-old killed in 2008 by a driver with seven prior license suspensions. The legislation took 15 years to reach the Senate floor, driven by the tireless advocacy of Angelica's mother, Dawn Nappi, who was present in the gallery. Senators Thomas and Murray, who explained their votes, emphasized the bill's importance for public safety and noted it applies only to moving violations, not financial or administrative violations. The driver who killed Angelica had his license suspended seven times before the fatal crash on Route 101 in 2008. Senator Murray stated that if Angelica's Law had been in effect at that time, the driver would have been incarcerated rather than on the roadway. The bill received a standing ovation upon passage and is expected to be signed by the Governor.

Assembly Bill 3983, sponsored by Assemblymember Thiele and relating to amendments to the Vehicle and Traffic Law, was laid aside for the day at the request of Sen. Gianaris. The bill did not proceed to a vote.