Drunk Driving Bills Could Cost State $236 Million

Wisconsin's drunk driving-related incidents are the highest in the United States and state Legislators have crafted six bills to confront the issue, but they carries a hefty price tag.

Some state Republican Legislators want to toughen the laws for habitual drunk drivers and first-time drunk drivers if they cause an injury or killed someone, but the price tag for those laws could cost taxpayers up to $236 million, according to a story in the Wisconsin State Journal. Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon) and Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) have introduced six bills to the Senate and House. The bills would: Because of the jail time provisions, the state expects to have to build 17 facilities that would each house 300 people. "A fiscal estimate from the state Department of Corrections put the cost of the bill regarding third and subsequent offenses at between $169 million and $204 million annually. Other agencies also weighed in, …

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Lika Phipps

11:12 pm on Saturday, May 18, 2013

Drinking is a privilege. So is driving. If you can't be responsible, they get taken away, because obviously some people aren't responsible enough, so they have to be treated like children. If you want to get trunk off of your tuches, do it at home and stay there. No one wants to deal with obnoxious people who think they're Benny Parsons and end up doing too much damage than what it's worth.   more ›

Third-Offense Drunk Driving Could be Felony With Mandatory Jail Time

Rep. Jim Ott plans to introduce six bills that would increase penalties for drunk driving across the board, from making first offenses criminal charges to introducing minimum sentence requirements for other offenses.

It may get tougher for repeat drunk driving offenders, if Rep. Jim Ott has his way.  The state legislator—a Republican from Mequon who also represents parts of the North Shore—plans to introduce six bills in the Assembly aimed at levying stiffer penalties against people who drink and drive.  According to his website, the bills will make it so: A person convicted of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle would have to serve at least 10 years in prison. A person convicted of a third or higher drunken driving offense may have their vehicle seized. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2013/related/proposals/sb61 First-offense drunk driving convictions would be misdemeanors that come with at least five days in jail. A second-offense drunk driving…

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Money & Politics

Cost a Key Factor in Debate over Drunken Driving Laws

What's blocking Wisconsin from implementing new, tougher laws against drunken driving? It could be "the dollar factor."

Mark Grapentine is a seasoned observer of state politics. He was an aide to then-state Rep. Scott Walker and a policy adviser to then-Gov. Tommy Thompson. For the past decade, he’s been a lobbyist for the Wisconsin Medical Society.  In this capacity, he’s pushed for tougher state drunken driving laws — and noticed that, despite an absence of pushback, these laws have stayed mostly the same. “It has been interesting to watch how there has been a lack of progress in an area where there seems to be a tremendous amount of agreement on the need to do something,” Grapentine says. Wisconsin remains the only state where first-offense drunken driving is not a crime, although the civil penalties include license suspension and substantial fines. Two …

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Election Preview: Wisconsin 23rd State Assembly District

Republican state lawmaker Jim Ott's opponent is a caseworker and advocate, Cris Rogers.

With exactly one week to go before the Nov. 6 elections, the biggest issue  incumbent Rep. Jim Ott and challenger Cris Rogers see both in Assembly District 23 and the Legislature is summed up in one word: Jobs. "The unemployment rate in Wisconsin is better than the national average, but it’s still not where we would like it," said Ott, the Republican incumbent. "It’s even higher, if you consider the people who’ve given up looking for work. We would certainly like to do more to foster job development in Wisconsin, meaningful jobs, family supporting jobs." Wisconsin's unemployment rate for September came to 7.3 percent, an improvement from 9.2 in June 2009, but still not enough, Democrat Rogers said. "I would like to see a venture capital …

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Jim Ott, Republican Candidate for 23rd State Assembly District

Incumbent Republican legislator to square off against Democrat Cris Rogers in Nov. 6 election.

Name : Mr. Jim Ott Age : 65 Place of residence : Mequon Attended college : Yes College : Universtiy of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Degree : Bachelor of Science Year of graduation : 1970 University : University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Degree : Master of Science Year of graduation : 1975 University : Marquette University Area of research : Law Degree Year of graduation : 2000 Has served in the military: Yes Rank : Specialist 4th Class Date when discharged from duty : 06 August 1973 Job titles held : Meteorologist, University Instructor Employers : Journal Broadcast Group, UW Parkside Party affiliation : Republican Running for a: State office Running for position: Representative to the Assembly Chamber/district: 23rd Assembly District Incumbent: Yes …

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Romney Campaign Bus Stops in Whitefish Bay

Alberta Darling, Brad Courtney and other Wisconsin Republicans mobilize volunteers at a pancake breakfast at the North Shore GOP Victory Office Sunday afternoon.

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Wisconsin Has a Drinking Problem

Patch blogger talks about two Wisconsin legislators working on toughening up the state's drunken driving laws, but says much more needs to be done to address Wisconsin's serious drinking problem.