The Minnesota Senate unanimously passed a measure that stands to strengthen the current drunk driving laws.
We’ve been covering this proposal since legislators first began to toy with the idea of strengthening the state’s DWI laws in the wake of the Park Tavern tragedy that left two dead and injured nine others. The driver at the center of that crash had multiple previous DWI convictions on his record, but he no longer needed to use an ignition interlock device. The new bill will extend both the lookback period for DWI convictions to apply to an ignition interlock situation, and it will lengthen how long people must remain in the program.
Here’s a quick look at how long individuals previously needed to remain in good standing with the ignition interlock program, and what was passed in the new bill:
One Previous DWI – Old: One Year. New: Two Years
Two Previous DWIs – Old: Two Years. New: Six Years
Three Or More DWIs – Old: Four Years. New: 10 Years
Small Amendment Made
The Senate ended up passing an amended version of the original bill. The amendment, which was backed by Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, creates additional protections for individuals in the ignition interlock program who lose their vehicles due to financial reasons. If someone loses their vehicle or it becomes inoperable for financial reasons, they will remain in the ignition interlock program.
Because the amended version was passed, the bill now needs to be reviewed by a chamber committee to reconcile small differences between the versions that passed in the House and Senate before a final version is sent to the desk of Gov. Tim Walz to be signed into law.
As always, the team at Appelman Law Firm is here to assist if you need help fighting a DWI charge of your own. To schedule a free case consultation, or for help contesting a different criminal matter, reach out to the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
