A bill strengthening penalties for drivers endangering first responders working on Montana roadways was signed into law Thursday by Gov. Greg Gianforte.
House Bill 264 was driven in part by testimony in both the House and Senate from family of Casie Allen and Nick Visser, two Hanser's Automotive tow truck operators who were hit and killed by a truck while clearing a crash on I-90 between Park City and Columbus on an icy morning in October. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Ross Fitzgerald, R-Fairfield, and co-sponsored by Rep. Jim Hamilton, D-Bozeman.
Among the supporters of the bill is Jerry Prete, a firefighter and manager for the Montana State University Fire Services Training school and the state coordinator for the federal Traffic Incident Management program that teaches first responders how to work safely on roadways.