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WEEK OF AUGUST 19, 2007
NEW LAW STRENGTHENS PENALTIES FOR DRUNK DRIVERS WHO
INJURE OR KILL
Drunk driving has far reaching negative effects
on those lives it touches. According the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, in 2005, 16,885 were killed in alcohol-related crashes. When
a drunk individual gets behind the wheel of vehicle, that vehicle becomes a
weapon.
That’s why I supported legislation, which was
recently signed into law, that creates the new charge of aggravated
vehicular homicide for drunk drivers who kill others and aggravated
vehicular assault for drunk drivers who injure others.
It is important that law enforcement and
prosecutors have the tools necessary to properly charge and convict
criminals who have committed a DWI resulting in personal injury or death.
Specifically, this law creates the crime of
aggravated vehicular homicide, a Class B felony with a penalty of up to 25
years in prison. This crime will apply to criminals who kill someone in a
drunk or drugged driving crash. The law also creates the crime of
aggravated vehiclar assault, a Class C felony with a penalty of up to 15
years in prison. This crime will apply to drunk or drugged drivers who cause
serious physical injury to another person. For both crimes, the criminal
must also have at least one of the following:
§
BAC of .18 or higher;
§
prior DWI conviction within the
last 10 years;
§
crash caused the death of more
than one person
§
offender was driving with a
suspended or revoked license.
This law, which takes effect November 1, 2007,
proclaims that New York State will have no tolerance for drunk driving,
especially when the behavior kills or injures others, and will punish
offenders appropriately for what they have done. Hopefully, this law will
also do more to discourage others from getting behind the wheel when they
have been drinking.
WEEK OF AUGUST 12, 2007
SENATOR WRIGHT: CONSUMERS, DOCTORS HAVE NEW RIGHTS
WITH MANAGED CARE PLANS
New legislation was recently signed into law
that broadens the rights of health care consumers, physicians and hospitals
associated with managed care health plans.
I was pleased to support this legislation.
Improving the process for payment and access are essential steps to
improving delivery of quality healthcare services for everyone. This measure
is an important step in that reform.
This new law provides key legal protections to
address long-standing problems of patients who feel caught in the middle
between hospital/insurer disputes. The legislation also helps untangle the
complicated maze of rules that have been developed by hospitals and insurers
so that clear and timely health care decisions can be made.
These reforms are positive for both consumers
and providers. The legislation limits a health plan’s ability to deny care
that it had already authorized, and gives consumers the ability to appeal to
an independent reviewer when a health plan denies a request to see an
out-of-network specialist for a service not available in-network.
Doctors and hospitals will benefit because this
legislation ensures that if a health insurer authorizes a medical procedure
to move forward, the provider will be guaranteed payment for providing that
service.
Several health care organizations and insurance
providers, as well as the New York State Departments of Health and Insurance
came to the table to negotiate this legislation.
This new law is an important step in ensuring
that health care decisions are based on what is right for the patient and in
protecting patients and health care providers in dealing with managed care
plans. This legislation will result in significant improvements to the
health care system by better balancing consumer protection, provider rights
and payer concerns.
WEEK OF AUGUST 5, 2007
SENATOR WRIGHT: THE HEAT IS ON, DONATE BLOOD NOW
Summer is here, which means that across New
York State, blood centers are struggling to keep pace with the demand for
blood and blood products that are needed by hospitals. Historically, blood
donations decrease by about 15 percent during the summer.
According to the American Red Cross, this
summer shortage situation is the result of two main factors: colleges and
high schools are closed, so they are typically not sponsoring blood drives;
and people are taking vacations and enjoying outdoor activities in lieu of
donating blood.
Ideally, the Red Cross needs a five to seven
day supply of blood in order to ensure that hospital patients will receive
the treatment they need. Currently, across New York, the blood supply is at
three days, which means that the need for blood is high.
Please keep in mind that a blood donation only
takes about one hour of your time, and with that donation, you have the
opportunity to save up to three lives. If you have never donated before, I
ask you to please take time out of your busy summer to do so. If you have
donated, I encourage you to do so again.
Summer is typically dry, but the blood supply
does not have to be. Let’s do our part to raise our communities’ blood
supply.
To make a blood donation appointment, to find
out about upcoming blood drives, or to receive more information about blood
sponsorship, please call the American Red Cross at 800-GIVE-LIFE or visit my
website,
www.senatorwright.org.
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