“It has now been almost three years since the deadly Schoharie limo crash that took 20 innocent lives and upended our community. The horrific tragedy was caused due to the callous negligence of the limo company operator, Nauman Hussain, who repeatedly ignored warnings from the state Department of Transportation that the vehicle involved in the crash was unsuitable for the road, lacked state and federal certifications and regularly failed safety inspections. Today, after taking a plea deal, Hussain not facing any jail time for his role in this entirely preventable tragedy is an outrage, leaving families and friends of the victims devastated. I cannot express how shocked and angry I am at the court’s decision in this case. Loved ones of those we lost on that painful day have not received the justice they deserve plain and simple, and my heart goes out to all those who are similarly angered.”

“While the miscarriage of justice in this case will not be forgotten any time soon, especially by the families and friends of those who were lost, the new laws and regulations established in the wake of this tragedy will help ensure that no community should ever endure such a painful tragedy again in our state. While the ten-bill limousine safety package I worked to get passed has been signed into law here in New York, there’s more that can and must be done at the federal level by passing similar measures in Washington DC. The new legislation, which went into effect in late 2020 and early 2021 includes: requiring all individuals operating limousines with over nine passengers to obtain a commercial driver’s license, allowing the commissioner of transportation to impound or immobilize stretch limousines if they fail routine safety inspections, increasing penalties for illegal U-turn violations committed by stretch limousine drivers and establishing and publicizing a toll-free hotline allowing individuals to report safety issues regarding stretch limousine vehicles or drivers, among several other measures that will lead to a safer limousine industry.”