Gov. Jim Doyle strengthened Wisconsin's absolute-sobriety laws Monday, signing legislation increasing the penalty for drivers under 21 operating a motor vehicle while drunk.
Wisconsin's current absolute-sobriety policy for minors states anything above a 0.0 blood-alcohol concentration is in violation with state statute. However, according to a statement from the bill's author, state Rep. Mark Gundrum, R-New Berlin, violation of the existing statute only results in a $10 fine.
Gundrum's bill increases the monetary penalty for underagers from $10 in fines to a $200 charge for driving under the influence and a $400 fine if a person under the age of 16 is accompanying the driver in the car. A loss of demerit points and brief license-suspension policy are also included in the bill.
Our previous penalties did not even rise to the level of a slap on the wrist,'\ Gundrum said in a statement. ""Our absolute-sobriety law will not send a much clearer message to our youth about the dangers of drinking and driving.""
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