Session targets holes in DUI laws

The effort is simple: to make sure that a person who drives drunk is charged, sentenced and treated appropriately — and that a person who has been arrested several times for drunken driving isn't treated the same as a person arrested for the first time.

But several holes in Utah's court and computer systems have allowed these problems to recur, and lawmakers on Monday took another stab at filling these holes and increasing accountability in DUI cases.

In a Monday morning press conference, House Speaker Marty Stephens, R-Farr West, said he and his colleagues have worked to get drunken drivers off the road for several years, and that a bill sponsored by Rep. Lamont Tyler fixes part of the state's broken system for catching and sentencing people who drink and drive.

"We are trying to curb these problems as quickly as we can," he told reporters and others gathered at the Utah Capitol.

There are more arrests for DUI crimes than for any other crime in society," said Tyler, R-Salt Lake City. "As we researched and discussed the problems with the current DUI system, it became clear that our system lacked accountability and consistency with DUI records," said Tyler, sponsor of House Bill 5002.

"This is a high-profile and high-priority issue for the Legislature," said Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Salt Lake City.

House Bill 5002 would accomplish three important things, Tyler said: