HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

SSB 6071

Brief Description:  Increasing penalties for hit and run where an injury or death occurs.

Sponsors:  Senators Rossi and Johnson.

Hearing:  February 22, 2000.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS

BACKGROUND:

A driver of a vehicle involved in an accident must remain at the scene until the driver provides required information including the driver's name, address, and insurer, to any person struck or injured or any person occupying a vehicle struck.  The driver must also provide reasonable assistance to a person injured in an accident.  A driver who is incapable of complying due to injuries sustained in the accident is not subject to penalty.

Failure to comply in the case of a non-injury accident is a gross misdemeanor.  Failure to comply in the case of an accident resulting in injury or death is a class C felony ranked at level IV on the sentencing grid.  The presumptive sentencing range for a level IV offender with no prior criminal history is three to nine months.  For juveniles in an injury or death accident, failure to comply is a category C offense, for which local sanctions are prescribed.

SUMMARY OF BILL: 

In an accident resulting in death, the driver of a vehicle who does not remain at the scene to provide the required information and assistance is guilty of a class B felony ranked at level IX on the sentencing grid.  The presumptive sentencing range for a level IX offender with no prior criminal history is 31-41 months.  The offense is a category B+ offense for juveniles, for which a 15-36 week sentence is prescribed.

In an accident resulting in injury, leaving the scene remains a class C felony, level IV on the sentencing grid, or a category C offense for juveniles.

FISCAL NOTE:  Requested on February 18, 2000.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after adjournment of a session in which bill is passed.