Fighting DUIs is now top priority

Drunken drivers beware: powerful Republican leaders of the Utah Legislature announced today a far-reaching commitment to catch, punish and track impaired drivers.

"It is the top priority of this Legislature, and we are prepared to do everything we need to do to solve this problem," House Speaker Marty Stephens, R-Farr West, said. "This serves as a warning. We want drunk drivers off the road."

Lawmakers said they will not tolerate drunken driving in Utah, warning there will be increasingly severe and significant penalties for those who commit this crime.

One legislator also called for Gov. Mike Leavitt to continue his Governor's Council on Driving Under the Influence.

In announcing their DUI initiative, lawmakers highlighted six bills they will support this year. They include:

• HB18, Rep. Lamont Tyler, R-Salt Lake. It requires state courts to collect and maintain data necessary for sentencing and enhancement decisions in DUI and reckless-driving offenses.

• HB16, Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield. It removes a two-hour limitation on blood and breath-alcohol tests taken in cases of flying, driving or boating under the influence.

• HB17, Rep. Lamont Tyler, R-Salt Lake. It amends the definition of a prior conviction to include driving under the influence of drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol. The bill also includes original DUI-related offenses that are reduced to lesser charges as prior convictions in subsequent DUI cases and in driver's license suspensions.

• HB48, Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield. It expands duties of local substance-abuse authorities to include screening and assessment, education and substance-abuse treatment for those convicted of DUI offenses. It also directs local authorities to use proceeds from DUI penalties to supplement offenders' payments toward the costs of these services.

• SB9, Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Salt Lake. This bill increases the required compensatory service hours for first-time DUI offenders from 24 hours to 48 hours. It also requires supervised probation whenever probation is ordered for a felony DUI offender.

• SB13, Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Salt Lake. The bill modifies the wording required on warnings posted in establishments selling alcohol as follows: "Warning: Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious crime that is prosecuted aggressively in Utah."

This replaces a current warning that states: "The consumption of alcoholic beverages purchased in this establishment may be hazardous to your health and the safety of others."

This is the first joint initiative of this legislative session, which lawmakers said demonstrates the importance of this issue. Both the House and the Senate were scheduled to debate the bills in their chambers today.