12-28-13 Drunken Driving Bills May Not Pass Senate

Attempts to toughen Wisconsin’s weak drunken driving laws with bipartisan supported bills may be going nowhere in the Senate. One of the bills awaiting Senate action would require all first-time offenders to make an appearance in court. Another proposal would make all second offenses misdemeanors. Current law states that a second offense committed more than 10 years after a first offense would be considered a first offense.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald issued a statement this weekend that he would prefer to spend money on setting up special drunken driving treatment courts statewide before considering these bills.