On Tuesday the House Transportation committee heard HB1423. Here's the bill summary:
This bill specifies that anyone who has had his or her driving license and privilege suspended due to an alcohol-related traffic offense will be deemed to have not fulfilled the suspension and a restricted driving privilege will not be issued until the person has completed 30 days of a suspension and has filed proof with the Director of the Department of Revenue that his or her motor vehicle is equipped with a functioning, certified ignition interlock device as a required condition of the person's restricted driving privilege. If the person fails to maintain the proof, the restricted driving privilege will be terminated or his or her license suspended, or both.
These laws, when drafted properly, can dramatically decrease the number of drunk driver related accidents. It works by having devices installed in a car that prevents the ignition from starting if traces of alcohol are found on the driver's breath.
Dr Richard Roth (pictured above) flew in from New Mexico as an expert witness. He has dedicated many of the last years to studying the issue and has helped New Mexico gain national attention by helping to draft legislation that has reduced the number of drunk driving accidents. Dr. Roth has a very impressive resume that includes receiving a Ph.D in physics from Princeton University, working with James Cronin and Val Fitch on Nobel Prize (1980) winning experiments in Elementary Particle Physics, and is a member of the New Mexico Governor’s DWI Leadership Team.
On top of all these great things Dr. Roth also was raised in the 67th District and attended Holy Family Grade School in his younger days. For more information on HB1457 or Dr. Roth's work please click the following links:
1 comment:
Your phone calls made a difference!
Paul’s been notified that Mark Leno’s offices received so many calls from concerned citizens yesterday about the Ignition Interlock bill being watered down that they’ve committed to reverting it back to its original state.
The process will go like this:
1) The bill was voted on and passed out of the State Assembly already in its modified/watered down state, so…
2) Next it will go to the CA State Senate floor for voting - it’s at this point that the correct version, the application of Ignition Interlocks as a requirement for drunk drivers, will be made to the bill
3) That change will cause the bill to go back to the State Assembly for a vote, and upon the bill passing the Assembly, it will be forwarded again to the State Senate for vote approval
4) If the IID bill wins in the Senate, the bill will become state law
MADD and FSM are asking that the calls to Mark Leno’s office subside for now, as the message has been heard, and respectfully ask that you stayed tuned for more info on the Ignition Interlock bill getting through this process to become CA law. Your ongoing participation and support are making a difference we can all be proud to be a part of.
Thanks everyone,
Stephanie
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