Governor Jim Doyle has signed Wisconsin’s new, tougher drunk driving bill. It criminalizes first time drunk driving when kids are in the vehicle, makes some fourth time drunk driving offenses a felony, allows use of ignition interlock devices for repeat offenders, and includes significant increases in fines. But Doyle concedes it’s not the last word. “It’s not everything I wanted, and I think if we went around this room, we could all say there were things we wanted in this bill that are not there,” said Doyle. “But it is a good bill.”
Doyle praised lawmakers, law enforcement and the families of victims who, he said, have worked in the wake of tragedy to make a difference with this legislation. “We are crossing a very significant milestone here today,” the governor said. “But . . . I hope we all recognize that it is not the end of this process at all.”
Doyle, who prosecuted drunk drivers as a district attorney, has made no secret of his support for sobriety checkpoints – which are not in this bill but are seen as a major deterrent in the states which allow them. For now, Doyle said there must be one message on drunk driving: don’t. “This simply must become socially unacceptable behavior by everybody in the state of Wisconsin.”
Governor Jim Doyle (5:00)Â AUDIO: Governor Jim Doyle (5:00 MP3)