Bill > S05753

This bill, named the "NYPD highway officer Anastasios Tsakos act," establishes a legal requirement for individuals convicted of specific alcohol-related vehicular manslaughter offenses to pay child support if their actions result in the death of a parent or guardian of a minor child. Under the new law, when a driver is convicted of vehicular manslaughter or aggravated vehicular homicide due to alcohol influence, the sentencing court must order the offender to provide child support until the affected child reaches 18 and graduates high school. The court will determine a reasonable support amount by considering factors such as the child's financial needs, the surviving parent's resources, the child's standard of living, educational requirements, and custody arrangements. Payments will be made through the court clerk and remitted to the child's surviving parent or guardian. If the offender is incarcerated and unable to pay, they will have up to one year after release to begin payments. The bill also includes provisions that prevent duplicate child support payments if a civil lawsuit has already been filed, allowing for potential offsets between court-ordered support and civil judgments. The law will take effect immediately and apply to offenses committed on or after its enactment date.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5753