Penalties increased for driving under the influence

Senators passed a bill May 20 that revises penalties for drinking and driving under the influence and the duty to stop at motor vehicle accidents.

LB675, introduced by Omaha Sen. Pete Pirsch, increases penalties for DUI offenders with prior convictions and creates felony penalties for failing to stop after an accident that results in serious injury or death.

The bill also will:
• increase a probation fine to $2,000;
• increase the fine amount for Class W misdemeanors from the current range of $400 to $600 to a $500 to $1,000 range;
• change the look-back period for sentence enhancement purposes to 15 years;
• create a new offense of a prior DUI offender with a blood alcohol content level of .02 or higher, which will be a Class IIIA misdemeanor; and
• require a person who has at least four prior convictions to serve a minimum of two years and complete a diagnostic evaluation before being eligible for parole.

The bill passed on a 46-0 vote and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2012.