Today, Gov. Jim Doyle took an important step in making Wisconsin's roads and highways safer. He signed Senate Bill 66 into law, which will strengthen the state's drunken driving regulations. It takes effect July 1.
However, the bill's critics say it has a few flaws, some we agree with.
The key tenants of the bill include, making a first offense a felony if there is a child in the vehicle, and a fourth-offense a felony regardless. Also, first-time offenders will be required to have ignition interlocks installed in their vehicles - the cost of which they pay for - if they have a blood alcohol concentration greater than .15; the legal limit is .08.
To pay for this $15 million to $27.9 million program, the new law calls for an increase in assessments for people convicted of crimes from $20 to $163, in addition to raising the fee from $60 to $200 for convicted drunken drivers to have their licenses reinstated after a revocation or suspension. And then there is the issue of how many offenders will actually pay their fines on time or at all, as the Green Bay Post-Crescent pointed out Monday.
In the past, we have advocated for an increase in the beer and liquor taxes to help pay for the new law, which was shot down by the legislature in October, but at least the legislature did find a way to fund this much needed step.
And that is all this can be taken as - a step.
The bill does not go far enough. What does it matter if there is a child in the vehicle when there is an intoxicated driver behind the wheel. He or she is still a threat to himself or herself and everyone else on the road.
Wisconsin is still the only state in the country not to criminalize a first-offense; instead it is simply a traffic violation.
The bill is such a disappointment to one strong advocate for drunken driving reform, she wouldn't show up to see it passed. The Associated Press reported Judy Jenkins, Mequon, whose pregnant daughter and 10-year-old granddaughter were killed by a repeat drunken driver in 2008, didn't attend the legislature's vote on the bill even though she had been a mainstay in Madison pushing for tougher laws.
"How is it making changes on the road. Is it making our streets safer?" she said.
Advocates have pushed for making all first offenses a felony and legalizing roadside checkpoints - the bill doesn't include either.
The law's weakness also forced the lone "no" vote in the state Assembly, which passed the bill Wednesday 93-1. The Senate passed it unanimously, 33-0.
Rep. Marlin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids, told the Associated Press last week the bill won't do anything to effectively solve the problem of drunken driving.
As we have in the past disagreed with Schneider on open records laws, we concur with him on this law.
Until the culture in Wisconsin changes to a point where it is no longer accepted that people will do it, though they might not agree with it, strict laws will be a key part of changing the state's drunken driving problem. We feel the first drunken driving offense should be a felony.
When someone can be caught possibly three times before the charge is a felony, what's different than the previous law? You get two get-out-of-jail-for-less cards instead of three?
Hopefully, the law will be what it should be - a step. A step that Wisconsin needs, but one we hope will foster greater changes in the law soon.
However, the bill's critics say it has a few flaws, some we agree with.
The key tenants of the bill include, making a first offense a felony if there is a child in the vehicle, and a fourth-offense a felony regardless. Also, first-time offenders will be required to have ignition interlocks installed in their vehicles - the cost of which they pay for - if they have a blood alcohol concentration greater than .15; the legal limit is .08.
To pay for this $15 million to $27.9 million program, the new law calls for an increase in assessments for people convicted of crimes from $20 to $163, in addition to raising the fee from $60 to $200 for convicted drunken drivers to have their licenses reinstated after a revocation or suspension. And then there is the issue of how many offenders will actually pay their fines on time or at all, as the Green Bay Post-Crescent pointed out Monday.
In the past, we have advocated for an increase in the beer and liquor taxes to help pay for the new law, which was shot down by the legislature in October, but at least the legislature did find a way to fund this much needed step.
And that is all this can be taken as - a step.
The bill does not go far enough. What does it matter if there is a child in the vehicle when there is an intoxicated driver behind the wheel. He or she is still a threat to himself or herself and everyone else on the road.
Wisconsin is still the only state in the country not to criminalize a first-offense; instead it is simply a traffic violation.
The bill is such a disappointment to one strong advocate for drunken driving reform, she wouldn't show up to see it passed. The Associated Press reported Judy Jenkins, Mequon, whose pregnant daughter and 10-year-old granddaughter were killed by a repeat drunken driver in 2008, didn't attend the legislature's vote on the bill even though she had been a mainstay in Madison pushing for tougher laws.
"How is it making changes on the road. Is it making our streets safer?" she said.
Advocates have pushed for making all first offenses a felony and legalizing roadside checkpoints - the bill doesn't include either.
The law's weakness also forced the lone "no" vote in the state Assembly, which passed the bill Wednesday 93-1. The Senate passed it unanimously, 33-0.
Rep. Marlin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids, told the Associated Press last week the bill won't do anything to effectively solve the problem of drunken driving.
As we have in the past disagreed with Schneider on open records laws, we concur with him on this law.
Until the culture in Wisconsin changes to a point where it is no longer accepted that people will do it, though they might not agree with it, strict laws will be a key part of changing the state's drunken driving problem. We feel the first drunken driving offense should be a felony.
When someone can be caught possibly three times before the charge is a felony, what's different than the previous law? You get two get-out-of-jail-for-less cards instead of three?
Hopefully, the law will be what it should be - a step. A step that Wisconsin needs, but one we hope will foster greater changes in the law soon.
