SPRINGFIELD –– The Illinois Senate today unanimously approved two bills initiated by Secretary of State Jesse White targeting drunk drivers and drivers without valid licenses.
"Enacting these measures into law will help rid our highways of the most dangerous and irresponsible drivers - people who get behind the wheel at double the legal limit, drive drunk with a child in the car, or continue to drive after their license has been suspended or revoked," said White.
House Bill 2265 provides increased penalties for anyone caught driving at double the legal limit (.16 Blood Alcohol Content and higher) or driving drunk with a child in the vehicle. The measure sets escalating penalties that include mandatory jail time for repeat offenders. The measure also requires any repeat DUI offender to have a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device installed in their vehicle. The device will not allow someone who has been drinking to start or operate a vehicle. The legislation returns to the House of Representatives for concurrence of Senate amendments.
House Bill 2266 targets people who ignore the law and continue to drive after their license has been suspended or revoked. Under the measure, those caught driving repeatedly on suspended and revoked licenses would face jail time. The legislation also allows judges to order the driver's vehicle immobilized by removing the license plates or installing a boot on the vehicle. Nearly 75,000 drivers were arrested for driving on a suspended or revoked license in 1998. House Bill 2266 advances to the Governor for final approval.
"These are two well thought-out and extremely comprehensive pieces of legislation aimed at drastically reducing the carnage caused by the hard-core segment of the drunk driving population," said Brad Fralick, Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) of Illinois. "We believe this legislation will have an impact upon alcohol-related traffic fatalities greater than any legislative initiative that has preceded it."
Both measures were approved in the House and Senate with bipartisan support and have received the backing of an unprecedented coalition of anti-drunk driving advocacy groups, law enforcement officials and the beverage alcohol industry.
Senate Sponsors of House Bill 2265 are State Senators Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete), Christine Radogno (R-LaGrange), Larry Bomke (R-Springfield), Carl Hawkinson (R-Galesburg), Walter Dudycz (R-Chicago), Kathleen Parker (R-Northbrook), Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago), Adeline Geo-Karis (R-Zion), Barack Obama (D-Chicago), Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills), Donne Trotter (D-Chicago), David Sullivan (R-Mt. Prospect), Lisa Madigan (D-Chicago) and Carol Ronen (D-Chicago). House Sponsors include State Representatives Jim Brosnahan (D-Evergreen Park), Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville), John Fritchey (D-Chicago), Bill Black (R-Danville), Terry Parke (R-Hoffman Estates), Mary K. O'Brien (D-Coal City), Tom Cross (R-Oswego), Joe Lyons (D-Chicago), Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park), Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D-Chicago), Jack McGuire (D-Joliet), Harold Murphy (D-Markham), George Scully (D-Flossmoor), Gary Hannig (D-Litchfield), Richard Bradley (D-Chicago), Harry Osterman (D-Chicago), Karen May (D-Deerfield), Eileen Lyons (R-LaGrange), Patricia Bellock (R-Westmont), Tom Holbrook (D-Belleville), Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), Dan Reitz (D-Sparta), Todd Stroger (D-Chicago), Edward Acevedo (D-Chicago), Susana Mendoza (D-Chicago), Michael Boland (D-East Moline), Ricca Slone (D-Peoria Heights), Howard Kenner (D-Chicago), Constance Howard (D-Chicago), Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest), Judy Erwin (D-Chicago), Larry McKeon (D-Chicago), Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest), Rosemary Mulligan (R-Des Plaines), Gwenn Klingler (R-Springfield) and Patricia Reid Lindner (R-Aurora).
Senate Sponsors of HB 2266 are State Senators Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete), Christine Radogno (R-LaGrange), Larry Bomke (R-Springfield), Kathleen Parker (R-Northbrook), Carl Hawkinson (R-Galesburg), Adeline Geo-Karis (R-Zion), Barack Obama (D-Chicago), Larry Walsh (D-Elwood), Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills), Lisa Madigan (D-Chicago) and Carol Ronen (D-Chicago). House Sponsors include Mary K. O'Brien (D-Coal City), Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville) Bill Black (R-Danville), Terry Parke (R-Hoffman Estates) and Jim Brosnahan (D-Evergreen Park), John Fritchey (D-Chicago), Tom Cross (R-Oswego), Joe Lyons (D-Chicago), Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park), Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D-Chicago), Jack McGuire (D-Joliet), Harold Murphy (D-Markham), George Scully (D-Flossmoor), Gary Hannig (D-Litchfield), Richard Bradley (D-Chicago), Harry Osterman (D-Chicago), Karen May (D-Deerfield), Eileen Lyons (R-LaGrange), Patricia Bellock (R-Westmont), Tom Holbrook (D-Belleville), Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), Dan Reitz (D-Sparta), Todd Stroger (D-Chicago), Edward Acevedo (D-Chicago), Susana Mendoza (D-Chicago), Michael Boland (D-East Moline), Ricca Slone (D-Peoria Heights), David Miller (D-Dolton), Howard Kenner (D-Chicago), Constance Howard (D-Chicago), Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), Larry McKeon (D-Chicago), Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest), Bob Ryan (D-Lansing) and Mike Smith (D-Canton).
