The Senate passed a bill sponsored by Senator Michael Balboni making it easier to prosecute scofflaws who drive after their licenses have been revoked.

"Just yesterday police arrested an East Islip man who had his license suspended 85 times," Senator Balboni said. "These people are a menace at best and deadly at worst, and my bill will make it easier to prosecute them."

According to Senator Balboni, the crime of aggravated unlicensed operation consists of three elements: driving a vehicle, evidence of a suspended license and knowledge of suspension by the driver.

The first two are easy to demonstrate, he said. But many defendants claim that they were not aware that their license was taken away, making it more difficult to prove that someone knew that his or her license was suspended or revoked.

Senator Balboni's bill assumes that a driver whose license was suspended or revoked more than three times on three separate occasions is fully aware that his or her license was revoked.

After the bill passed, it was sent to the Assembly.