Assembly Bill 1601 has passed both houses to increase license suspension minimums for three-time repeat DUI offenders to 10 years.

The current mandatory suspension is three years. Now, thanks to a bill sponsored by Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, the suspension will more than triple. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to sign the bill to law. The bill has the full support of the California Highway Patrol, the DA's Association and the State Sheriff's Association.

The bill aims to get repeat offenders off the road for a long enough period to permit sufficient rehabilitation. The bill was first proposed in December after Hill learned of William Scott Simon, a resident who was arrested 8 times for DUI and still on the road.

The bill initially aimed for the permanent revocation of a license after three offenses, but this punishment was thrown out after the Appropriations Committee decided it would add too much cost to the state at a time when it needed to cut spending.