Kansas Lawmakers Hear Proposals to Changes in DUI Laws
Under current Kansas laws, a person charged with DUI that has eight prior Drunk Driving convictions faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail. A person with sixteen prior DUI convictions faces the same possible sentence, one year in jail. The new laws would increase minimum mandatory sentences for repeat DUI offenders, with Fourth or subsequent DUI offenders going to prison, instead of jail.
The proposed changes would also require even first-time DUI offenders to install ignition interlock devices on their vehicles, something that is currently reserved for repeat offenders and first-time violators blowing a .15 BAC or above.
Another controversial change would make the refusal of a blood or breath test a criminal offense with potential penalties that would be similar to or exceed that of the DUI charge itself.
Increasing minimum jail time for repeat DUI offenders is popular with politicians and the public in general. We saw this last year in with the passage of new Missouri DUI Laws, where similar increases in sentencing were passed easily. However putting repeat DUI offenders in prison will cost money, and in an already overcrowded system, every DUI offender entering the Kansas Prison System with a mandatory sentence will mean some other type of offender will be released.
Requiring Ignition Interlock for first-time offenders is also increasingly popular, as it costs the State nothing, it is paid for by the individual. And installing an Ignition Interlock on your vehicle is not cheap, currently about $65.00-$100.00 per month, not including installation and removal fees.
States are increasingly 'Getting Tough on DUI'. If you are charged with DUI in Kansas or Missouri, the stakes are higher than ever. You need an experienced DUI Defense Lawyer. Contact our office today.
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