Mineola, NY - Nassau County Legislator Joseph Scannell (D-Baldwin) and members of the legislature today unanimously approved an emergency amendment to the County's DWI seizure law. The seizure law, which had been approved in 1999, allowed the county to seize vehicles of those individuals arrested for drunk driving.

The former law was thrown out last week by the state appellate court when it was deemed unconstitutional because it was too vague and did not give those arrested sufficient notice of what offending conduct would result in the loss of their car. The amendment also provides a 15-day notice to those arrested for drunk driving.

"We corrected and clarified the bill with this amendment," said Legislator Scannell, who along with being Chairman of the Public Safety Committee also sponsored the amendment. "If you are driving drunk tonight in Nassau County, New York you will have your car seized."

"The principal goal of the legislation was always to deter drivers from driving drunk or impaired and with this amendment we can continue towards that goal," said Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury).

County Executive Thomas Suozzi signed the bill into law this evening in his office at One West Street.

Marge Lee of DEDICATED (Drive Educated Informed Commit and Totally End Drunk Driving) said, "Cars are replaceable, but people are not. Today I am grateful to the legislature and proud to live in Nassau County because each member of the legislature is now a life saver in the eyes of DEDICATED."

"By passing this amendment quickly, this legislature saved the lives of people," said Dee Cornella of M.A.D.D. (Mother Against Drunk Driving).

According to Andrew Campanelli, a Garden City attorney hired by Nassau two years ago to prosecute the civil forfeiture auctions, in the last 14 months the county has brought in about $1.3 million from the sales of impounded cars.

The administration is currently appealing the court's decision.