The New York State Senate has passed legislation named for a woman who was killed in the Hudson Valley.
The Senate Monday passed Teresita’s Law, a bill sponsored by Republican Senator John Bonacic that relates to penalties for causing a death while committing aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He says Teresita 'Grace' Solano was killed in his district, in Orange County’s Middletown, last year when she was hit by a negligent driver who was operating a vehicle with a suspended license. He says the driver served the highest sentence possible – a misdemeanor with a maximum of 30 days in jail, and a fine. Bonacic’s legislation would elevate the crime to a Class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison. The bill was sent to the Assembly.