A new bill sponsored by Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, has been signed into law providing a tough new penalty for 3rd time DUI offenses in California, effective from January 1, 2012.
Under Bill AB1601, judges will have the option to revoke a license for up to 10 years when sentencing third-time California DUI offenders.
Currently, the penalty for a third DUI offense in California is a three-year license suspension (or since 7/1/2010, a six-month suspension followed by a restricted license used in conjunction with with an ignition interlock device) under the authority of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Prompted by many high-profile cases in California featuring repeat DUI offenders, the new bill is promoted as “an important step toward making California’s roads safer”. Assemblyman Hill estimates it will take 10,000 repeat offenders off the road.
Bill AB1601 has yet to be approved by the California State Senate but is widely expected to become state law.
