130th Ohio General Assembly
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Am. H. B. No. 397  As Passed by the House
As Passed by the House

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
Am. H. B. No. 397


Representative Hill 

Cosponsors: Representatives Buchy, Burkley, Derickson, Hottinger, Ruhl, Smith, Anielski, Antonio, Barborak, Beck, Boyce, Brown, Butler, Celebrezze, Damschroder, Green, Hackett, Heard, Milkovich, O'Brien, Perales, Phillips, Rogers, Rosenberger, Sheehy, Stinziano, Strahorn, Winburn Speaker Batchelder 



A BILL
To amend sections 4549.02 and 4549.021 of the Revised Code to increase the penalty for violations of failure to stop after an accident and failure to stop after a nonpublic road accident that result in the death of a person or serious physical harm to a person and to name this act Brandon's Law.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1.  That sections 4549.02 and 4549.021 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:
Sec. 4549.02.  (A) In case of accident to or collision with persons or property upon any of the public roads or highways, due to the driving or operation thereon of any motor vehicle, the person driving or operating the motor vehicle, having knowledge of the accident or collision, immediately shall stop the driver's or operator's motor vehicle at the scene of the accident or collision and shall remain at the scene of the accident or collision until the driver or operator has given the driver's or operator's name and address and, if the driver or operator is not the owner, the name and address of the owner of that motor vehicle, together with the registered number of that motor vehicle, to any person injured in the accident or collision or to the operator, occupant, owner, or attendant of any motor vehicle damaged in the accident or collision, or to any police officer at the scene of the accident or collision.
In the event the injured person is unable to comprehend and record the information required to be given by this section, the other driver involved in the accident or collision forthwith shall notify the nearest police authority concerning the location of the accident or collision, and the driver's name, address, and the registered number of the motor vehicle the driver was operating, and then remain at the scene of the accident or collision until a police officer arrives, unless removed from the scene by an emergency vehicle operated by a political subdivision or an ambulance.
If the accident or collision is with an unoccupied or unattended motor vehicle, the operator who collides with the motor vehicle shall securely attach the information required to be given in this section, in writing, to a conspicuous place in or on the unoccupied or unattended motor vehicle.
(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of failure to stop after an accident, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the accident or collision results in serious physical harm to a person, failure to stop after an accident is a felony of the fifth degree. If the accident or collision results in or the death of a person, failure to stop after an accident is a felony of the third second degree. The court, in addition to any other penalties provided by law, shall impose upon the offender a class five suspension of the offender's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in division (A)(5) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code. No judge shall suspend the first six months of suspension of an offender's license, permit, or privilege required by this division.
The offender shall provide the court with proof of financial responsibility as defined in section 4509.01 of the Revised Code. If the offender fails to provide that proof of financial responsibility, then, in addition to any other penalties provided by law, the court may order restitution pursuant to section 2929.18 or 2929.28 of the Revised Code in an amount not exceeding five thousand dollars for any economic loss arising from an accident or collision that was the direct and proximate result of the offender's operation of the motor vehicle before, during, or after committing the offense charged under this section.
Sec. 4549.021.  (A) In case of accident or collision resulting in injury or damage to persons or property upon any public or private property other than public roads or highways, due to the driving or operation thereon of any motor vehicle, the person driving or operating the motor vehicle, having knowledge of the accident or collision, shall stop, and, upon request of the person injured or damaged, or any other person, shall give that person the driver's or operator's name and address, and, if the driver or operator is not the owner, the name and address of the owner of that motor vehicle, together with the registered number of that motor vehicle, and, if available, exhibit the driver's or operator's driver's or commercial driver's license.
If the owner or person in charge of the damaged property is not furnished such information, the driver of the motor vehicle involved in the accident or collision, within twenty-four hours after the accident or collision, shall forward to the police department of the city or village in which the accident or collision occurred or if it occurred outside the corporate limits of a city or village to the sheriff of the county in which the accident or collision occurred the same information required to be given to the owner or person in control of the damaged property and give the date, time, and location of the accident or collision.
If the accident or collision is with an unoccupied or unattended motor vehicle, the operator who collides with the motor vehicle shall securely attach the information required to be given in this section, in writing, to a conspicuous place in or on the unoccupied or unattended motor vehicle.
(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of failure to stop after a nonpublic road accident, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If the accident or collision results in serious physical harm to a person, failure to stop after a nonpublic road accident is a felony of the fifth degree. If the accident or collision results in or the death of a person, failure to stop after a nonpublic road accident is a felony of the third second degree. The court, in addition to any other penalties provided by law, shall impose upon the offender a class five suspension of the offender's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in division (A)(5) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code. No judge shall suspend the first six months of suspension of an offender's license, permit, or privilege required by this division.
The offender shall provide the court with proof of financial responsibility as defined in section 4509.01 of the Revised Code. If the offender fails to provide that proof of financial responsibility, then, in addition to any other penalties provided by law, the court may order restitution pursuant to section 2929.18 or 2929.28 of the Revised Code in an amount not exceeding five thousand dollars for any economic loss arising from an accident or collision that was the direct and proximate result of the offender's operation of the motor vehicle before, during, or after committing the offense charged under this section.
Section 2.  That existing sections 4549.02 and 4549.021 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 3.  This act shall be known as Brandon's Law.
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