Lawmakers consider tougher vehicular homicide penalties

KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) — A bill making its way through the Washington statehouse would create stiffer penalties for vehicular homicide.

The Tri-City Herald reports that the measure known as Jason's Law was introduced in response to a 2015 hit-and-run in Pasco that killed Jason E. Smith, a 36-year-old Kennewick father.

The bill was unanimously approved by the Senate Wednesday and now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Kennewick Republican Sen. Sharon Brown sponsored the bill. She says she hopes the bill can make it clear that the state will take every action possible to prevent reckless driving.

Her bill would increase the sentence for vehicular homicide from reckless driving to a range of 78 to 102 months, similar to the current penalty for DUI-related vehicular homicides.