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Minutes for HB2665 - Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
Short Title
Increasing criminal penalties for a driver who leaves the scene of a vehicular accident when the accident results in the death of any person or more than one person, if the driver knew or reasonably should have known that such accident resulted in injury or death.
Minutes Content for Mon, Feb 12, 2024
The Chair opened the hearing on HB2665. Natalie Scott provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 3)
Chief Darrell Atteberry testified in support of the bill on behalf of the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police and the Kansas Peace Officers Association. Chief Atteberry said it seems there is an increasing problem of drivers fleeing the scene of serious and often deadly vehicular crashes. The perpetrators of these criminal acts have fled the scene of the crash and willfully attempted to conceal their involvement by hiding their vehicles and themselves from investigators for a variety of reasons that include driver's license problems, outstanding warrants, and driving impaired. (Attachment 4)
Sheriff Jeff Easter testified in support of the bill on behalf of the Kansas Sheriffs Association. Sheriff Easter shared that if the driver in a fatal accident is intoxicated and stays on the scene, the charges are more severe than if the intoxicated driver flees the scene. The driver flees to escape the charge of vehicular manslaughter which comes with stiffer penalties than fleeing the scene of an injury accident. (Attachment 5)
Jill Ward, Private Citizen testified in support of the bill. Ms. Ward shared her family's story of losing their son due to an accident where a truck pulled out in front of him. The driver of the truck left the scene of the accident without providing any aid. She said this bill would revise the Kansas Law that governs leaving the scene of an accident resulting in a fatality and asked for the committee's support. (Attachment 6)
Written only proponent testimony was submitted by Marc Bennett, Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. (Attachment 7)
There was no neutral or opponent testimony. The Chair closed the hearing on HB2665.
