Suffolk Reporter

Assemblyman Keith P. Brown addressed a rally in Albany on March 11, 2025, advocating for measures to combat drugged-driving and support legislation aimed at enhancing road safety. The event was attended by members of both the Assembly and Senate, as well as the Coalition to Protect New Yorkers from Drugged Driving (CPNYDD). Community members and families affected by drugged-driving incidents also participated.

“I was proud to speak at this drugged-driving rally today,” stated Brown. He emphasized the seriousness of drugged-driving, likening it to drunk driving in terms of public safety risks. He noted a significant increase in accidents and fatalities related to drugged-driving since 2020. Highlighting a tragic incident from July 2024, he recounted how a man from Lindenhurst was sentenced for causing a fatal accident while driving under the influence of fentanyl.

“The defendant should never have been driving,” Brown remarked, stressing that legislative action is needed to prevent similar tragedies. He called for immediate policy changes during the current session to address this issue.

Brown expressed his support for Assembly Bill A.3981, which seeks to update state laws on driving while impaired by drugs. “Anyone who is impaired or intoxicated should never, ever get behind the wheel,” he said, urging Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes to back the bill and include it in the FY 2025-26 budget.

To view footage of Assemblyman Keith Brown's speech at the rally, click here.