Bill > S06547

This bill, named the "Heather D. Heyer Act," introduces two significant legal provisions. First, it prohibits drivers from operating a vehicle within 1,000 feet of a protest involving more than 15 people, with exceptions for police, emergency, and protest participants' vehicles. Violations of this provision are initially classified as traffic infractions with escalating penalties: first-time offenders face fines between $300-$500, repeat offenders within five years face fines of $500-$750, and those with two or more violations within ten years can be charged with a misdemeanor and fined $750-$1,500. Second, the bill enhances penalties for hate crimes involving vehicular manslaughter or using a vehicle as a dangerous weapon, establishing a minimum 25-year sentence for such offenses when classified as a class A-1 felony. The bill appears to be a response to incidents of vehicle-based violence during protests, potentially referencing the 2017 Charlottesville car attack that killed Heather Heyer, and aims to deter similar future actions by imposing strict legal consequences. The law will take effect on the first of November following its enactment.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S6547