State Assembly Passes Bill Imposing Harsher Penalties for Drunk Drivers

The Wisconsin Assembly has passed a bill imposing harsher penalties on repeat drunken drivers. 

The assembly passed the measure 95 to 1 in early voting Wednesday morning.  

The bill would make a fourth drunk driving offense a felony, regardless of when the charge was filed.  

Right now, a fourth offense is only a felony if committed within five years of a third. 

The legislation will also increase the maximum prison sentence for fifth and sixth offenses from three years to five.  Maximum sentences for seventh, eighth and ninth offenses would increase from five years to seven and a half.   The maximum sentence for a 10th or subsequent offense would rise from seven a half years to ten. 

The bill has already cleared the Senate and will now go to Governor Walker’s desk to be signed.