|
Smith targets DUI laws
Her bills would address repeat offenders,
increase penalties
This week
Rep. Norma Smith introduced two pieces of
legislation that seek to strengthen penalties for driving under the
influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol convictions.
Over the most
recent Super Bowl weekend between midnight and the early morning hours,
Washington State Troopers made 125 DUI arrests.
Smith
believes current laws regarding driving under the influence, especially
for repeat offenders, are inadequate and much of the reason DUI
continues to be one of the most common crimes committed in the state.
Smith’s first
bill,
House Bill 2027, would address repeat offenders. If a person has had
two or more DUIs in the span of seven years, it would make the third
conviction a class C felony.
Currently
the law requires four or more prior DUI offenses within 10 years to
reach a class C felony charge – a number that Smith believes is far too
high.
“The bills I’ve
introduced would be important steps in addressing our inadequate laws
for repeat DUI offenders and vehicular homicide and assault,” said
Smith, R-Clinton. “Driving under the influence continues to be one of
the greatest and most persistent threats in our country.
Public
safety is at the heart of all we do as legislators, and it’s about time
we start taking this issue seriously and get drunk drivers off the road.
Washington
state must send a clear message to those continually making poor choices
that endanger innocent people.”
Smith’s second
bill,
House Bill 2028, seeks to modify vehicular homicide and vehicular
assault provisions.
This bill
would add an additional four years to the standard sentence range for
vehicular homicide committed while under the influence.
Current
law only adds an additional two years to the standard sentencing range
for ending someone’s life as a result of driving under the influence.
“DUI-related crashes cost our society millions of dollars annually. That is nothing
compared to the grief so many families have suffered because of an
individual’s choice to drink and drive,” said Smith.
“I met
with the family of a young wife and mother in our district earlier this
year who was killed by a drunk driver, and it became even more apparent
that our current laws simply do not fit the crime.
Her life
was ended by the repeated irresponsible choices of another.
It’s one
thing to talk about the adequacy or inadequacy of our laws – it’s an
entirely different perspective to see the real-life consequences
resulting from these tragic choices.”
Both bills
received bipartisan support from other House colleagues, and have been
referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
# # #
For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public Information Officer: (360) 786-7252
|