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House committee adopts amendments to toughen penalties for drivers who injure or kill blind pedestrians and service animals
Summary
Lawmakers adopted amendments to House Bills 45‑27 and 45‑28 to raise felony exposure to 15 years for gross negligence causing the death of a blind person; sponsors and blind advocates, including the sponsor's son, testified on safety concerns including electric‑vehicle risks.
The Michigan House Health Policy Committee on a unanimous vote adopted amendments to House Bills 45‑27 and 45‑28 that change the statutory penalty for gross negligence causing the death of a blind person from 10 years to 15 years, aligning the penalty with other Class C felonies.
Representative VanderWaal, the bill sponsor, said the legislation “modernizes and strengthens” legal protections for blind pedestrians who use canes, walkers or service animals. He told the committee that when a driver’s gross negligence causes the death of a blind person the bill would make that conduct a Class C felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Representative VanderWaal also said…
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