Bill Text: MA S1571 | 2009-2010 | 186th General Court | Introduced

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Bill Title: For legislation relative to increasing the civil fines and financial responsibilities and criminal penalties of motorists who violate the right of way of other motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists and/or pedestrians, resulting in serious bodily injury and/or death.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-04-05 - Reporting date extended to Friday, May 7, 2010 [S1571 Detail]

Download: Massachusetts-2009-S1571-Introduced.html

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Mr. Brewer

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
                Court assembled:

                The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to increasing the civil fines and financial responsibilities and criminal penalties of motorists who violate the right of way of other motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists and/or pedestrians, resulting in serious bodily injury and/or death.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:	District/Address:
Mr. Brewer	Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin
Richard T. Moore	Worcester and Norfolk
Anne M. Gobi	5th Worcester
Joyce A. Spiliotis	12th Essex
Jeffrey Davis Perry	5th Barnstable
Todd M. Smola	1st Hampden
Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.	12th Hampden
John D. Keenan	7th Essex
Jennifer M. Callahan	18th Worcester
Scott P. Brown	Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex
Todd M. Smola	1st Hampden
Christine E. Canavan	10th Plymouth
Viriato Manuel deMacedo	1st Plymouth
Stephen Kulik	1st Franklin
Linda Dean Campbell	15th Essex
Demetrius J. Atsalis	Second Barnstable
Richard J. Ross	9th Norfolk
Thomas A. Golden, Jr.	16th Middlesex
Bruce E. Tarr	First Essex and Middlesex
Donald F. Humason, Jr.	4th Hampden
Robert L. Hedlund	Plymouth and Norfolk

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand and Nine

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An Act relative to increasing the civil fines and financial responsibilities and criminal penalties of motorists who violate the right of way of other motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists and/or pedestrians, resulting in serious bodily injury and/or death.

                Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1.  Section 8 of chapter 89, as appearing in the 1998 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out in the last sentence the words “thirty-five” and replacing it with “two hundred.”

 

SECTION 2.  Section 8 of Chapter 89 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding at the end of said section the following new paragraph:

 

Any person who is found guilty of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a violation of the provisions of this Section shall be subject to the following penalties:

 

(a) If the violation results in the injury of another person, the offender shall, in addition to any other penalties, be fined two hundred dollars and have their driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or nonresident operating privilege suspended for a period of not less than thirty days, or both.

(b) If the violation results in the serious bodily injury of another person, the offender shall, in addition to any other penalties, be fined five hundred dollars and have their driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or nonresident operating privilege suspended for a period of not less than ninety days, or both.

(c) If the violation results in the death of another person, the offender shall, in addition to any other penalties, be fined one thousand dollars and have their driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or nonresident operating privilege  suspended for a period of not less than one hundred eighty days, or both.
(d)  For purposes of this Section, "serious bodily injury" shall mean a bodily injury which involves unconsciousness, extreme physical pain, or protracted and obvious disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty, or a substantial risk of death.

 

SECTION 3.  This bill shall take effect July 1, 2009.