The Law
The Reason to Change:
On
Since this person had been drinking and had several past tickets for the same they knew if they were caught that they would be in serious trouble with the law. So this time when there was trouble they ran away.
At the time in the State of
The Law At This Time:
In the US, forty-two states had a law that made it a felony to leave the scene
of a personal injury accident. The eight states that need to change their law
are as follows:
Why must these states sacrifice one of its own citizens before politicians are motivated to make necessary changes in the law?
What's Been Done So Far?
Bob Schmill, Matt's dad, with the help of the
Bob Schmill, Matt's dad, met with the Douglas County Attorney, Deputy Douglas
County Attorney, City Prosecutor, State Senator's Friend and Kruse, State
Executive Director of MADD, and Executive Director of Project Extra Mile.
Senator Friend's office had drafted a Bill to change the Law. He is planning to
introduce it at the next Session in January 2006. It would make it a Felony to
leave a scene of a personal injury accident. All agreed that from this time
forward it would be known as "Matt's Law." The next meeting is
planned for
We had our up date meeting.
Matt's Law or LB772 was introduced in the unicameral and sent to the Judiciary
Committee.
Met with the State Attorney General office. The State Attorney General
introduced a bill on Jan. 5th, to increase the penalties for multi. DUI's and
it has a section about Hit and Run. The Matt's Law bill may get included into
his bill to strengthen that section. I asked if he could ask that Matt's Law
could stand-alone. It would still strengthen his bill; we are both asking to
make leaving the scene of a personal injury accident a felony period. But at
least one way or another the law will get changed and we all know it was
because of Matt.
Hearing for LB772 in the Judiciary Committee. The order of those testifying:
Senator Friend, Douglas County Attorney, Lynn and Myself, Father of a young
lady that was killed a year earlier by a Hit and Run Driver, Executive
Directors of MADD and Project Extra Mile, and a Capt. from the Douglas County
Sheriffs office. Senator Chambers told us at the beginning that he would not
vote for this Bill, because the Douglas County Attorney office was involved
with it.
Senator Dwight Petersen became a co-sponsor of the Bill.
Senator Bourne called Bob to talk about the bill and give his support of it.
Also, let us know at they would be voting on LB772 in the next two weeks to
send it to the floor.
Bob met with 7 of the 8 members of the Judiciary Committee to ask for their
support. All 7 Senators were For the Bill.
Senator Combs became a co-sponsor of the Bill.
LB772 was combined into the DUI Bill (LB925) and was brought in front of the
Unicameral for review and discussion. It passed and has been sent to rewrite
and review will be sent to Select File next week.
April 4, 2006
LB925 was passed on to Final Reading after some debate, that parts of the DUI
punishment was too harsh and that it would not allow the Judge to order a rehab
program.
LB925 was passed into Law and signed by the Governor. It will become Law in 90
days.
LB925 became Law in the State of
Side Note: During a TV interview, Bob made a statement that
after he was finished working on changing the Law in
Dreams
• The
Foundation •
The
Program • 2008
Contest Information •
Contest
Entry Form •
Who Is Matt? • His Dreams • The Jeep's Trip • A Letter To Myself • Matt’s Law •
Laws In the Works • In the News • Links • Contact Us
Matt's Dream • (402) 493-0665 or (402) 630-3984
•
Copy Right 2006 @ Matt’s Dream Foundation