FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1619

C 103 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Increasing penalties for driving while under the influence with children in the vehicle.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Lovick, Delvin, Kirby, Dickerson, Ahern, Nixon, Wallace, Romero, Haigh, Sullivan, Pettigrew, Chase, O'Brien, Lantz, Quall, Miloscia, Berkey, Dunshee, Blake, Hudgins, Cooper, Moeller, Morrell, Schual-Berke, Edwards, Simpson, Bush, Eickmeyer, Murray, Kessler, Conway, Darneille, Kenney, Upthegrove and Rockefeller).

House Committee on Judiciary

Senate Committee on Judiciary

Background:

The state's drunk driving law has an escalating system of penalties for persons convicted of driving while under the influence (DUI). Among those penalties are mandatory minimum periods of incarceration and electronic home monitoring. The lengths of these periods increase with the number of prior convictions a driver has and with the blood or breath alcohol concentration of the driver.

Courts are authorized in all cases of DUI, and are required in some, to order that when an offender's driving privileges are restored, he or she must have an ignition interlock device installed on any vehicle he or she drives.

In sentencing a DUI offender, the court is also directed to consider whether the driver caused any injury or damage, and whether there were passengers in his or her car.

Summary:

If a person commits a DUI while there is a passenger under the age of 16 in the vehicle, the court must order 60 days of ignition interlock use in addition to any already mandatory use, or at least 60 days of interlock use if there is no mandatory requirement otherwise.

Votes on Final Passage:

House 95  0

Senate 47  0    (Senate Amended)

House 97  0    (House concurred)

Effective: July 27, 2003