ROCKLAND, NY – Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick was recognized this week by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) as one of the Legislators of the Year for his leadership on Bryan Johnson’s Law (S4473A). This award identifies state lawmakers who played a major role in MADD’s mission to eliminate alcohol- and drug-impaired driving and support the victims of these 100% preventable crimes.
Bryan Johnson’s Law passed unanimously in the New York Senate this spring, but unfortunately did not come to a vote in the Assembly. Senator Reichlin-Melnick has vowed to reintroduce this bill when the legislature returns to Albany in January.
Under current New York law, a person facing a DWI charge would be treated as a first-time offender even if they have a history of boating while intoxicated. Bryan Johnson’s Law would allow judges to take prior boating while intoxicated offenses into account when sentencing people for DWIs. When a defendant demonstrates a pattern of reckless behavior they rightfully face harsher penalties.
Bryan Johnson, a 26-year-old resident of Ossining, died in 2012 following a boating accident in Long Island Sound. Johnson was boating with friends when the group decided to go for a swim. The driver of the boat, who had been drinking, played a prank on the swimmers and sped away. When he came back for the swimmers, Johnson had drowned.
Senator Reichlin-Melnick said, “I am honored to be recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, an organization that does critical and inspiring work. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to make us take common sense actions that will make the world safer in the future. We must close the loophole that allows drunk drivers to escape full accountability even if they have previously been convicted of drunk boating offenses. New York State must hold drunk boaters accountable for their dangerous behavior.”
“People are dying on America’s roads at levels not seen since 2002, but these 65 lawmakers are taking action to reverse the deadly trend,” said MADD National President Alex Otte. “MADD is grateful for the commitment of these legislative champions to eliminating the 100% preventable crime of impaired driving and boating, protecting their communities and supporting victims and survivors whose lives were forever changed by someone else’s choice.”