The Wisconsin state legislature passed a tougher OWI bill after months of debate nearly unanimously, but one dissenter says the law will not fix the problem.
State Representative Malin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids, says the legislature is getting it wrong in preventing OWI in the state. Wisconsin's drinking problem, according the Schneider, exists independent of these laws and is due to a host of other factors beyond historically lax OWI legislation. Schneider has served in the legislature for nearly 40 years.
The new bill now makes a fourth offense OWI in Wisconsin a felony rather than a fifth. It will also require more use of ignition interlock devices in individuals caught driving with a high BAC. Finally, the law makes it a crime to drive under the influence with a child under 16 in the car. The law does not, however, criminalize the first OWI offense.
Schneider believes the bill was compromised in order to get it to pass. There has been a lot of pressure on the legislature to get the bill passed because of similar changes across the country. Gov. Jim Doyle was also pushing for a change, and he is expected to sign the bill into law.
Those who agree with Schneider's assessment point out inherent problems with Wisconsin's infrastructure that lead to a higher incidence of drinking and driving. For example, there is less centralized entertainment, leading many to travel longer distances to enjoy a night out. There is also less public transit used in the state than in other areas, meaning more people rely on cars as the primary way to get to and from parties and nights out.
Rural communities tend to have the largest problem cohesively dealing with OWI offenses. It is common for police agencies across rural states to lack communication and centralized records, leading many would-be repeat offenders to be charged with isolated OWI incidents. Many feel that, while you can change the law in a day, you cannot change the host of factors that make drinking and driving a part of life for many people in Wisconsin with so quick a measure.
