A New Federal Bill Aimed at First Time DWI Offenders
Recently, he House transportation committee released the details of a six-year, $450 billion highway bill. What is troubling to a DWI Attorney, like myself, is that buried within the bill is a controversial sentencing requirement that low-level, first-time drunken-driving offenders, must install an ignition interlock device. Currently, Texas requires the ignition interlock for repeat offenders. Additionally, Texas requires the ignition interlock for anyone that has a high breath test (.15 or higher) when they were arrested.
Texas has historically understood that a first time offender does not need such a drastic step when someone has been convicted for their first DWI. Since the ignition interlock is expensive, intrusive, and typically has technical issues, this punishment has exclusively been used for repeat offenders only . The Federal government has a different idea and could affect how Texas will deal with first time DWI offenders if and when the bill is enacted.
