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Family testimony prompts renewed push to increase penalties for repeat unlicensed driving
Summary
Senate File 1374 would impose enhanced penalties for people who repeatedly drive after license revocation or suspension where serious injury results; the committee heard victim testimony and laid the bill over for further review.
Senate File 1374, presented by Senator Mark Limmer, seeks to increase penalties for certain unlicensed driving offenses when they cause serious injury or recur repeatedly.
Sue Vanek testified that her daughter and grandchild were hit head‑on in January 2015 by an unlicensed driver; Vanek said her daughter remains in a persistent vegetative state and that the offender’s highest charge was a misdemeanor despite repeated prior unlicensed‑driving incidents. "The day the offender destroyed our lives was his ninth time being caught driving unlicensed," Vanek said. She urged lawmakers to adopt tougher penalties; she cited New Jersey law as a more stringent approach.
Senator Limmer said the bill would make a gross misdemeanor out of certain unlicensed driving offenses when the driver causes substantial bodily harm or accrues prior qualifying offenses within a 10‑year window. Committee counsel summarized the list of prior offenses that would trigger enhancement, which includes prior DWIs and certain vehicle crimes. Members discussed whether the proposal would apply to juveniles; counsel said the bill does not distinguish by age. Senator Howell raised concerns about treating juveniles and adults identically.
The committee laid SF 1374 on the table for additional consideration and potential refinement of the list of qualifying priors and age‑based questions.
