Plan Aimed at Increasing Louisiana DWI Penalties

Goal is to quadruple the time a license is suspended.

A Taskforce on DWI and Vehicular Homicide assembled by Gov. Bobby Jindal has recommended legislation quadrupling the penalty for refusing a breath test in cases of driving while intoxicated in Louisiana. The law, which is still in draft form, would call for the suspension of a motorist’s license for 24 months. Under current Louisiana DWI law, a license is suspended for 6 months if a suspected impaired motorist refuses to submit to a breath test, compared to two years if the test is taken and failed.

Because of the difference in the suspension period, the governor and the task force members feel that the current law encourages drunk drivers to refuse a breath test. Opponents say the task force focused on only increasing penalties rather than offering treatment for chronic drunk driving offenders. One state representative cited a situation where a family member had to travel 1,100 miles to get treatment not offered in Louisiana, and indicated that harsher penalties alone will not necessarily change behavior issues.

Jindal approved of the DWI license suspension measure last month and the issue will be considered during the upcoming 2009 legislative session.

Have you been arrested for DWI in Louisiana?