According to Louisiana DWI laws, refusing a breathalyzer test can help drunk drivers avoid DUI penalties, so state Rep. Tim Burns, R-Mandeville, is looking to pass stricter DWI laws in Louisiana to combat this problem.
If a person refuses a breathalyzer today, he or she may face a 180 day driver’s license suspension. The new DWI laws Burns is purposing would suspend a driver’s license for one year for refusing a breathalyzer test the first time.
The bill has been passed by Louisiana lawmakers and is waiting Governor Bobby Jindal’s signature. The law would become effective Sept. 1.
“The tide has really shifted in this issue,” Burns told the press. “It wasn’t that long ago that you could have open containers in the cars, and that’s slowly been gotten rid of, and I think as we move to a society and a state that’s more conscious of this issue, it’s just trying to provide for the public safety of it’s citizens.”
The bill has been criticized by some for infringing on people’s civil liberties, but it is receiving support in most communities.
A response was sent by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, MADD, supporting the bill. MADD expressed that eventually, the group would like to see breathalyzer refusal a criminal offense.
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