Rhode Island Attorney General Submits Crime Bills

State Attorney General Peter Kilmartin is asking the legislature to approve a series of crime bills, including tougher penalties against drivers who cause accidents that kill or injure other people.

The Providence Journal reports that Kilmartin wants people convicted of driving to endanger in fatal accidents to face up to 20 years in prison instead of 10 years. He also wants convictions for driving to endanger in non-fatal crashes to carry up to 10 years in prison, instead of five.

Kilmartin also is proposing changing state law to impose one penalty for people convicted of DUI resulting in death or serious injury, with no distinction for first or repeated offenses. That penalty would be five to 30 years in prison and license revocation for five to 10 years.