Senators advanced a bill May 10 that would revise penalties for drinking and driving under the influence and the duty to stop at motor vehicle accidents.<\/p>\n
LB675, introduced by Omaha Sen. Pete Pirsch, would increase penalties for DUI offenders with prior convictions and would create felony penalties for a failure to stop after an accident that results in serious injury or death.<\/p>\n
Pirsch said approximately 83 Nebraskans die per year due to alcohol-related crashes, adding that 116 \u201cserial drunk drivers\u201d in the state have between 10 and 18 prior convictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis bill is designed to target the most dangerous of drunk drivers \u2014 the habitual drunk drivers who really have no interest in changing their behavior,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A Judiciary Committee amendment would:
\n\u2022 increase a probation fine to $2,000;
\n\u2022 increase the fine amount for Class W misdemeanors from the current range of $400 to $600 to a proposed $500 to $1,000 range;
\n\u2022 change the look back period for sentence enhancement purposes to 15 years;
\n\u2022 create a new offense of a prior DUI offender with a blood alcohol content level of .02 or higher, which would be a Class IIIA misdemeanor; and
\n\u2022 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.<\/p>\n
Omaha Sen. Brad Ashford, chairperson of the committee, called subsequent offenders \u201cserious and dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to get them off of the streets,\u201d he said. \u201cThat message is being sent through this amendment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Omaha Sen. Gwen Howard spoke in support of the amendment and said it deals with a matter of someone who excessively drinks and causes harm.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe stakes are high and the penalties should be high as well,\u201d she said. \u201cI think a lot of families will appreciate this bill.\u201d<\/p>\n
The amendment passed 34-0 and the bill advanced from general file on a 38-0 vote.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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