| For Immediate Release | For more information contact: |
| March 10, 2000 | Sandra Whalen (651-296-5529) |
(St. Paul) A House Republican plan to remove repeat drunk drivers from Minnesota roads was unanimously endorsed by the House Transportation Finance Committee Friday. But while the proposal has received the overwhelming bi-partisan endorsement of three major House finance committees, its Senate companion was stripped of its effectiveness in Sen. Randy Kelly's Senate Budget Division, said House Crime Prevention Chairman Rich Stanek (R-Maple Grove).
The House measure calls for a mandatory five-year felony penalty for repeat DWI offenders who are convicted of a fourth or subsequent DWI offense within 10 years, and puts them on probation for up to 10 years. An additional year in jail is imposed if the offender violates the drug and alcohol sobriety requirement.
The House proposal would impose the felony penalty on any person convicted of a DWI offense who has previously been convicted of a felony-level DWI offense, and applies a mandatory sentence of five to seven years and a fine of not more than $14,000. It also provides an identical felony penalty for a fourth aggravated DWI crime DWI on a revoked driver's license in 10 years, and extends the length of probation for some offenders.
Stanek said his felony penalty and its minimum sentencing and rehabilitation requirements will be a wake-up call to repeat offenders, and let them know that punishment will be swift and severe. "But the Senate's 'concept approach' is wildly irresponsible and damages the integrity of the tougher DWI effort," he said.
The Senate committee's version advanced by Sen. Kelly removes mandatory minimum sentencing requirements and sets an end date for the entire measure one year after its enactment. An ambiguous provision of the modified Senate bill, called "post-conviction relief," would allow those convicted of the felony-level offense to be re-sentenced as a gross misdemeanor.
"We've studied every aspect of changing drunk driving laws, including lowering blood- alcohol levels and zero tolerance, and have found that our first step needs to be harsher punishment for those who continue to drink and drive after being caught once, twice or more," Stanek said.
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SF 2659's transformation is troubling, he added, especially in light of figures from the Minnesota chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) that in a recent typical year there were 32,391 DWI arrests in Minnesota. A MADD spokesperson attending the hearings also expressed frustration in the Senate's actions.
Stanek, a Minneapolis police captain and 16-year law enforcement officer, said he would like to see the tougher penalties come into play even earlier for chronic offenders. "It is a crime that ruins lives and tears apart families, but the most tragic aspect is that it is nearly 100 percent preventable."
"My hope is that Minnesotans will demand that their lawmakers cut through the Senate's red tape and demand change now."
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