ABC10
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A new California bill aimed at preventing drunk driving moved one step closer to becoming law after receiving unanimous approval from the Senate Public Safety Committee.
Assembly Bill 366 would require all DUI offenders in California, including first-time violators, to install ignition interlock devices in their vehicles. These devices prevent cars from starting if the driver has been drinking.
"AB 366 is an opportunity for us to save lives, for us to stop these tragic and preventable deaths before the car even starts," said Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine).
The current law doesn't apply for first-time offenders, and it's set to expire in January
"At that point, we'd be the only state in the country that does not have any kind of ignition interlock requirement. So, it's really critical that we get this done," said Rhonda Campbell, with Sacramento's chapter for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Critics have raised concerns about the financial burden the devices would place on offenders, but supporters say the bill addresses these cost concerns through an income-based sliding scale system.
"That has been addressed in the bill. They have been able to adjust the cost per a person's income on a sliding scale. And I think they've cost down to 25 cents a day. So, cost should not be a prohibitive measure from us getting this passed," Campbell said. "And for those of us who've actually been impacted by a drunk driving crash, there is no cost too high or too low to save a life."
The legislation has drawn support from more than 60 organizations, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, and AAA.
"We know that device is going to save lives. So, we're hoping to get full support in the Senate to get that pushed through and that become a law in January," Campbell said.
AB 366 now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for a vote. Lawmakers are calling it the biggest step towards tackling drunk driving in California in more than a decade.