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Dear Neighbors,
With an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 120-0, Drake’s Law was approved by the Minnesota House of Representatives on Wednesday.
House File 71, authored by myself, is named in honor of Drake Bigler, the five month old son of Brad and Heather Bigler, who was tragically killed in a drunk driving accident in 2012. Drake’s father, Brad, is the head basketball coach at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
Specifically, Drake’s law helps strengthen Minnesota’s drunk driving conviction laws by increasing the maximum sentence for criminal vehicular homicide occurring within 10 years of a previous qualifying offense—increasing the maximum sentence from 10 to 15 years.
Throughout the legislative process, the Biglers continued dedication and advocacy in memory of their son, has been remarkable.
The Senate companion bill is authored by Senator Gary Dahms and is expected to be voted on sometime this year where we then expect it to be signed into law by Governor Dayton.
Staying in Touch
If you have any questions or concerns regarding these issues or anything else before the legislature, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-5374 or via email at rep.chris.swedzinski@house.mn.
Have a great weekend!
Chris