February 17, 2008

Only One Drink

Is Gov. Phil Bredesen misleading the public - and costing the state millions in federal highway dollars - with his stance on proposed tougher DUI laws? State Rep. Stacey Campfield thinks so. First, the Knoxville News Sentinel had this to say in a Tom Humphrey article on Friday:

While there are multiple proposals for strengthening the state's drunken driving laws pending in the Legislature, Gov. Phil Bredesen says he decided to set priorities and focus on just one.

Bredesen's budget plan for the coming year includes $2.2 million in funding to implement an "administrative license revocation" system in Tennessee, but nothing for other DUI legislation - including some recommended by a DUI task for he established two years ago.

"You have to pick from all the good things available," Bredesen said Thursday.

The license revocation proposal, HB4213/SB4196, provides that motorists charged with drunken driving would have their driving license confiscated by law enforcement officers upon arrest. Under current law, the license is surrendered only after the accused motorist is convicted.

Bredesen said members of his task force told him that the legislation is the single most important measure in a package of recommended bills. Bredesen acknowledged that he earlier thought a license revocation bill had passed last year, but "it somehow fell through the cracks."

Among other pending DUI-related bills are measures lowering legal blood-alcohol content levels for conviction in some cases, mandating use of ignition interlock devices for all of those convicted of DUI, a ban on open containers of alcohol in vehicles, and tougher penalties for offenders.

Campfield:

Some of the DUI bills that have been killed, like tougher penalties and the "pass the bottle" bill actually don't cost the state money. They actually bring money into the state from the federal government. This is called a positive fiscal note. The fed is withholding transportation money because Tennessee won't pass tougher DUI laws. You would think with all the gnashing of teeth we hear about there not being enough money for road building that the Gov would be all for these changes. I guess toll roads or raising the price of gas even higher are a more pleasant idea for him.

The governor saying we have to choose is not honest. It is not a lack of money issue that these things are not getting done, it is a lack of will.