The Andrew McMorris Foundation 5th Annual Year in Review showcases journey the foundation took from September 2021 to September 2022. Produced and edited by Hollywood East Video https://hollywoodeastny.net

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney continued his two-day rally in Albany today calling on lawmakers, with the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York (DAASNY), to pass a bill that would close the loopholes in the drugged driving law that make it unworkable.

Gov. Kathy Hochul ended 2023 by vetoing the Grieving Families Act for a second time, which ignited frustration among area families who have lost a loved one in a wrongful death incident and have advocated for years for the bill to be passed. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed — for the second consecutive year — the Grieving Families act, which had widespread support in both parties and chambers in Albany.

The news was a blow to families living with staggering loss — efforts to have the Grieving Families Act signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul had, once again, been vetoed.

Those advocating for the Grieving Families Act bill said would bring equity to those who have lost loved ones in wrongful death cases.

Families who have lost loved ones in car accidents and other tragedies are ramping up the pressure on Gov. Kathy Hochul.

They want her to update New York’s more than 150-year-old law governing civil lawsuits — saying this is about more than money

Alisa McMorris smiles when she talks about her son Andrew, who, in his 12 years, found several passions in life.

"My son Andrew was what we call a renaissance man...we believed him to be an old soul," she says. "He lived far beyond his years at 12 years old, he was a painter, artist, musician."

The day before Thanksgiving is known as "Blackout Wednesday," and law enforcement agencies are warning people who consume drugs or alcohol at gatherings not to drive impaired. 

Grieving parents joined the effort Monday on Long Island to push for stricter laws. 

Grieving parents stand with community leaders, the police, and local dignitaries to encourage drivers to be safe this holiday season.

Grieving parents who lost their children to drunk and drugged driving stood with law enforcement to beg people not to get behind the wheel impaired this holiday week.

They say while they encourage people to enjoy their Thanksgiving week, they should always have a plan for a sober ride home. Police say they will be stepping up patrols island-wide this week.

It’s so familiar that most people know it very well: if you drink and drive, the penalties are stiff. If a person who drinks and drives causes a crash, the consequences are severe. However, when it comes to driving while impaired by a substance other than alcohol, the consequences are not as clear in New York State as they are for alcohol DWI.

A group of families that have been directly affected by this situation joined on Monday with law enforcement leaders and others to call for proposed legislation that addresses this situation to be adopted as law.

Parents whose kids were killed by drunk or drugged-up drivers joined Long Island law enforcement Monday to push for a state law that would allow cops to crack down on dangerous, impaired motorists.

Members of the media joined the Carpenter family, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and others as they viewed the two vehicles at the barracks involved in the crash: Guzman's Chevrolet Silverado and Carpenter's Ford Escape, both of which sustained significant damage.

Tierney said state laws allowing prosecutors to bring charges against drugged drivers have dangerous loopholes that endanger the public.