Articles
New Bill Could Mean Stricter DUI Penalties
Legislators in South Carolina are attempting to pass a bill that would simplify DUI arrest procedures for law enforcement officials and mandate a graduated penalty system for offenders.
The bill received the approval of the state’s House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and now awaits approval from the full House and then the Senate.
Advocates of the proposed legislation say it targets repeat DUI offenders by implementing harsher penalties for each consecutive offense, including mandatory jail time for the third offense.
However, some—like 7th Circuit Solicitor Trey Gowdy—say the bill doesn’t go far enough.
“I applaud them for adopting a graduated penalty structure and for simplifying the arrest process, but second offense ought to be mandatory jail time. And it ought to be enough time to prevent a third offense,” Gowdy said.
Rep. Scott Talley also said he thinks incarceration should be required sooner than the third offense, particularly for offenders with high blood alcohol levels.
“The loopholes that exist now frustrate law enforcement,” Talley said. “If you make somebody sit in jail for 30 days, that’s how you get serious about dealing with this problem.”
As it stands, the bill establishes penalties that become harsher with increasing levels of blood alcohol content. Additionally, the bill would make it so that police officers no longer have to read DUI suspects their Miranda rights more than once.
(Source: Spartanburg Herald-Journal online)
Facing DUI charges? For sound legal advice from an experienced DUI attorney near you, please click here.
All of your criminal, DUI, DWI, OUI lawyer needs in one place!
Let us help you locate an attorney. Use the form to find a criminal law attorney in your area.
