HARRISBURG – The PA Senate approved a bill to increase penalties for causing unintentional death on the roadway, as well as bills aimed at strengthening commercial vehicle safety standards and closing dangerous loopholes in PA’s licensing and training systems. Senate Bill 1286, known as the “Kyle Costrello and Glenn Compton Law,” would increase the penalties associated with unintentional death, including an ungraded misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 and a license suspension of up to two years. The measure is named after two people who lost their lives in traffic accidents, resulting in penalties their families feel were not equal to justice. The Senate also approved two bills which followed a hearing exposing alarming gaps in current laws, including instances where individuals without proper training or English proficiency have operated heavy commercial vehicles on highways. Senate Bill 1294 will end CDL mills by empowering the PA Department of Education to enforce stronger penalties against illegitimate CDL training providers. Senate Bill 1295 will require English proficiency for all CDL testing. Recent reports have highlighted cases where criminal illegal migrants obtained CDLs without meeting federal requirements, resulting in serious and fatal accidents. All of the bills will be sent to the PA House for consideration.
