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Alix's law passes Senate for 5th time

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Alix's law, named in memory of Alix Rice, has passed the New York State Senate for a 5th time and is now heading to the Assembly, where it has stalled in the past.

The bill is aimed at cracking down on drunk drivers who leave the scene of an accident. The final vote in the Senate was 58-0.

The legislation is named in memory of Alix Rice. The Williamsville teenager was hit and killed by a drunk driver while long-boarding on Heim Road in 2011. The driver, Dr. James Corasanti, claimed he didn't know he had hit a person and was acquitted on the felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident. As a result, Corasanti was convicted of Common Law DWI, a misdemeanor.

Current law only requires drivers to report an accident when they know or have reason to know an accident resulted in injury or property damage.  This allows drunk drivers to leave the scene of an accident and later claim they were unaware.

Alix's law passed the Senate in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 with bipartisan support, but stalled in the Assembly.   The measure is once again being sponsored by Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes.