Rice Introduces Three Bills to Combat Impaired and Distracted Driving

LongIsland.com

The bills would standardize criminal penalties against impaired drivers traveling with children and create new grant programs to support prevention programs.

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U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) introduced a package of three bills aimed at combatting impaired and distracted driving. The Prevent Impaired Driving Child Endangerment Act (H.R. 3676) would set national standards for criminal penalties against individuals who drive while intoxicated or impaired with a child passenger in the vehicle; the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act (H.R. 3675) would authorize a $10 million annual grant program at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for states to educate the public on the dangers of drug-impaired driving; and the Distracted Driving Education Act (H.R. 3677) would authorize a $5 million annual grant program at DOT for nonprofit organizations to educate the public on the dangers of distracted driving. 
 
Rice has long been a leader on highway safety issues. As District Attorney of Nassau County, she received wide-spread acclaim for her efforts to crack down on drunk driving, which led to an overhaul of New York State’s DWI laws. Earlier this year, Rice co-led the bipartisan HALT Drunk Driving Act which would require the commercialization and standards for advanced drunk driving prevention technology systems in all new cars.  
 
“Preventing the thousands of unnecessary deaths that occur on our roadways each year is an issue near and dear to my heart,” said Rep. Kathleen Rice. “As District Attorney, I saw far too many families suffer from the terrible tragedies that driving while distracted or under the influence can cause. That’s why working to end impaired and distracted driving once and for all has become a centerpiece of my career. These three bills will help us get closer to that goal, and I will work tirelessly to build bipartisan support and get them passed through Congress.” 
 
The Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act has already earned bipartisan support and is co-led by Representative Troy Balderson (OH-12). 
 
“When someone under the influence of drugs gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, entire communities are put at risk,” said Rep. Troy Balderson. “Sadly, this is a fact we know all too well in the state of Ohio, where the opioid epidemic has taken a significant toll. The Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act takes critical steps to educate our communities about the risks associated with drug-impaired driving, including those driving under the influence of opioids and marijuana.” 
 
Rice’s latest legislative push to take on impaired and distracted driving has also won the support of several safety organizations.  
 
The Prevent Impaired Driving Child Endangerment Act is supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, the National Safety Council, and the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA). 
 
The Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act is supported by Responsibility.org, the National District Attorneys Association, the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, the Cronos Group, the National Cannabis Industry Association, MADD, the National Safety Council, and WSWA. 
 
The Distracted Driving Education Act is supported by the Texting Awareness Foundation, the National Safety Council and WSWA. 
 
“2020 saw a dramatic increase in the death rate on our roadways, and impairment and distraction continued to be two of the persistent killers,” said Lorraine Martin, President and CEO, National Safety Council, which has endorsed all three bills. “The Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act and the Distracted Driving Education Act will improve public awareness about the dangers of impaired and distracted driving, and the Prevent Impaired Driving Child Endangerment Act will ensure that those who recklessly drive impaired with a child in the vehicle will face stiff penalties. We’re proud to support these bills and we thank Congresswoman Rice for her commitment to making our roads safer for all.” 
 
“WSWA remains dedicated to preventing all forms of impaired driving and commends Representative Rice for her leadership on this critical issue,” said Michelle Korsmo, President and CEO, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), which has endorsed all three bills. “A comprehensive, anti-impaired driving strategy that bolsters public education, information sharing and enforcement is the right approach to saving lives on America's highways.” 
 
“Drunk and drugged driving are the leading killers on America’s roads, and these violent crimes are 100% preventable,” said Alex Otte, National President, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), which has endorsed the Prevent Impaired Driving Child Endangerment Act and the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act. “MADD thanks Representative Rice for standing up for victims and their families and fighting to protect children by advocating for child endangerment laws and proven countermeasures such as ignition interlocks and advanced drunk driving prevention technology.” 
 
“Each year we lose over 10,000 people to preventable impaired driving crashes and thousands more are injured,” said Chris R. Swonger, President and CEO, Responsibility.org, which has endorsed the Prevent Impaired Driving Child Endangerment Act and the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act. “Responsibility.org is proud to support Congresswoman Rice’s continued leadership to eliminate impaired driving with the introduction of the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act.  This legislation will help states increase public awareness on drugged driving and The Prevent Impaired Driving Child Endangerment Act that will replicate Leandra’s Law from New York State across the nation to prevent adults from driving impaired with children under 16 years of age in the car.” 
 
“State and local prosecutors are excited to support the bipartisan Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act,” said Nelson Bunn, Executive Director, National District Attorneys Association, which has endorsed the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act. “Through educating the public on the dangers of drug impaired driving, this legislation will ensure prosecutors and advocates can work together to keep our roadways safe. We thank Congresswoman Rice and Congressman Balderson for prioritizing the safety of the communities our members serve.” 
 
“Effective public education campaigns remain by far the best way to keep our roadways safe,” said Andrew Freedman, Executive Director for the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation, which has endorsed the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act. “We applaud Representative Rice’s effort to provide the resources needed to increase public awareness and establish evaluation processes that will help reduce drug-impaired driving.” 
 
"With nearly half of the US population living in states that regulate marijuana sales for adult use, it is critical that traffic safety education and practices comport with reality, not reefer-madness era rhetoric,” said Justin Strekal, Political Director, NORML, which has endorsed the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act. “The general public and lawmakers alike would benefit from evidence-based messages that actually promote responsible behavior and safer roads and the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act seeks to do just that.” 
 
“Educating drivers is our strongest tool to stop distracted driving,” said Rocco Panetta, the Founder of the Texting Awareness Foundation, which has endorsed the Distracted Driving Education Act. “Most drivers know texting while driving is not safe, but they can forget how dangerous it truly can be. This bill will help provide non-profits with the tools they need to offer much-needed reminders of the deadly consequences that distracted driving can pose. We are happy and proud of U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice’s persistence and dedication to saving lives, and we thank her for introducing this critical legislation.”  
 
Bill Summaries  
 
The Prevent Impaired Driving Child Endangerment Act would set national standards for criminal penalties against individuals who drive while intoxicated or impaired with a child passenger in the vehicle. The legislation would compel every state in the country to adopt laws similar to New York State’s Leandra’s Law, which made it a felony offense for an individual to drive drunk or impaired with a child passenger in the vehicle. Full text of the Prevent Impaired Driving Child Endangerment Act can be found here.  
 
The Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act would authorize a $10 million annual competitive grant program at DOT for states to educate the public on the dangers of drug-impaired driving. States would use this grant funding to deploy strategies using the best available evidence for effectiveness, and states would report back to DOT with an evaluation of the progress made towards reducing drug-impaired driving within the state. States would be authorized to share grant funding with local governments, Indian Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, state or local prosecution offices, and state or local law enforcement agencies. The grant program would be available to address driving under the influence of marijuana, opioids, cocaine, amphetamines, fentanyl, or phencyclidine. Full text of the Drug-Impaired Driving Education Act can be found here.  
 
The Distracted Driving Education Act would authorize a $5 million annual competitive grant program at DOT for nonprofit organizations to educate the public on the dangers of distracted driving. Full text of the Distracted Driving Education Act can be found here