DENVER – A measure to add penalties for habitual drunken drivers advanced in the state Senate on Tuesday after weeks of delay.
The felony DUI bill would make a fourth DUI a felony punishable by up to six years in prison and a fine of as much as $500,000. The measure passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 5-0 vote.
The measure would also increase the amount of time DUI convicts must hold an interlock restricted driver’s license, from one year to two years or up to five years.
Colorado is among five states where drunken drivers face only misdemeanor charges, even after repeated convictions. But bills to increase penalties have stalled in recent years amid concerns about the costs of incarceration and fears that the state wouldn’t offer enough treatment for people with drinking or drug problems.
On the Net
House Bill 1043: http://bit.ly/1Ox3eql
