California Legislators Consider DUI Legislation Related to Interlock Ignition Devices (IIDs)

The Golden State already has many laws dealing with DUI in Los Angeles and its other cities. But state legislators are often looking for ways to refine those statutes with the goal of reducing the number of DUI incidents even further.

For the past several years, Los Angeles, Alameda, Tulare and Sacramento counties have required anyone convicted of a DUI—even first time offenders—to install an ignition interlock device (IID) on their vehicles. According to a study released in December 2015 by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, interlocks prevented 1,900 DUI driving incidents per month in California.

Many legislators want to extend the IID requirement to the entire state, and they are halfway towards achieving that goal. On May 31st, the Senate unanimously passed SB 1046, which requires anyone convicted of DUI in California to install the IID. That bill now goes to the California Assembly, and MADD has promised to lobby for it extensively.

Meanwhile, the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee has killed two bil ls related to THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) and driving under the influence. The Los Angeles Times reports that the first would have made it a crime for anyone with 5 nanograms or more of THC to drive; the second would have allowed police officers to use oral swabs to measure the amount of THC. Representatives of the pot industry had argued that the bills were not based on scientific evidence.

According to the Times, Representative Bob Huff of San Dimas, the sponsor of the oral swab bill, said he is hoping to get federal grants that would allow the state to buy new technology to test motorists’ THC levels.

The Adult Use of Marijuana Act, proposed for California’s November 2016 ballot, would include funding to train law enforcement to recognize driving under the influence of marijuana.

Attorney Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers has been an effective Los Angeles DUI defense attorney for nearly two decades; he and his team can help you identify an appropriate strategy.