Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. “Ray” Tierney’s special assistant for legislative initiatives joined state leaders in support of Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul’s drugged driving proposal at the State Capitol on Tuesday, March 11.
This marks the third rally held for the “Deadly Driving Bill,” which was rejected on the floor in 2024 despite 50 co-sponsors and 3,700 signatures.
Should the bill go through, it would make the state’s drugged driving laws applicable to all dangerously impaired drivers, not just those impaired on a statutory list.
Currently, New York is one of four states that limits drugged driving to such a list. The National Transportation Safety Board urged the Empire State to reverse course in 2023.
Now, the hope is they will finally listen.
“Too many families have been devastated by impaired drivers who could not be prosecuted because of this dangerous loophole in our law,” said District Attorney Tierney.
“When a driver is clearly impaired and endangering lives on our roads, it shouldn’t matter whether the substance they have used appears on an outdated list. What matters is the danger they pose to everyone sharing our roadways.”
Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford) was in attendance for this bipartisan plea as well.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is not a partisan issue,” he said. “We are standing together—Republicans and Democrats—to demand action, protect lives and ensure justice is served for victims of drugged driving.”
The rally also featured Henry Rivera and Kristin Ruggles—surviving family members of drugged driving victims; lives cut short by a most preventable crisis.
In conjunction with Assembly Transportation Chair Bill Magnarelli, DA Tierney is keen on creating an effective, fair and equitable solution with this cutting-edge, life-saving proposal.
Moreover, the goal is to not create new crimes, but more resources for drugged drivers to earn treatment and rehabilitation before they can “crash and kill.”
A large proponent of this type of path to decriminalization in his district, New York City District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) also weighed in on what he considers a grave matter.
“People who drive under the influence of drugs pose a major risk to public safety, taking the lives of far too many,” he said. “I thank Governor Hochul for including this crucial legislation in her proposed budget, and our legislative partners for this commonsense legislation that will finally hold these dangerous drivers accountable.”
On behalf of her constituents, Nassau District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said that year after year, reckless drunk and drugged drivers cause death and destruction on their roadways.
However, due to the technicalities apparent with drug chemistry language, categorical menaces to society have slipped through the system’s fingers—and vehicular manslaughterers have been born as a result.
“I’ve stood with my law enforcement colleagues from across the state to advocate for closing this dangerous loophole,” she said, “and again, urge our legislature to include proposed fixes to our drugged driving laws in this year’s budget.”
This legislation codifies multiple safeguards: the best available science, roadside drug screening, expanded toxicology testing and specially-trained officers to record the physical effects of substances via "body-cam."
If all goes according to plan, this could yield the swiftest determinations one could ask for during an era where many crime pressers could cease to be if bail law was as reformed as drugged driving language seeks to be in 2025.