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Christie Sends DUI Bill Back to the Legislature

Gov. Christie on Monday conditionally vetoed legislation that would have repealed the mandatory suspension of driver's licenses for first-time drunk drivers and instead required them to install devices that would be able to detect alcohol and stop cars from starting.

By Andrew Seidman

Gov. Christie on Monday conditionally vetoed legislation that would have repealed the mandatory suspension of driver's licenses for first-time drunk drivers and instead required them to install devices that would be able to detect alcohol and stop cars from starting.

As an alternative, Christie returned the bill to the Legislature and proposed imposing both penalties on all drunk-driving offenders.

"By combining our existing, rigorous system of mandatory license suspensions with the active monitoring provided by interlock devices, New Jersey will provide new hope in the fight against drunk driving deaths and injuries," Christie said in his veto message.

Of the 542 people killed in motor vehicle accidents in New Jersey in 2013, 26 percent had consumed alcohol "to some extent," according to the most recent state police data.

Alcohol-related fatalities were down 15 percent for the year, according to the state police.

Christie noted the favorable trend but said that "even if we suffer just one drunk driving fatality, there is room for improvement."

Since 2005, 24 other states have enacted laws similar to the one passed by the New Jersey Legislature, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

"We had hoped the governor would sign the legislation as passed by the New Jersey Legislature," MADD said in a statement. "We are encouraged that the governor supports interlocks for all convicted drunk driving offenders as is the law in 24 other states."

Ignition interlock devices function like a Breathalyzer. Drivers breathe into them, and if the device detects alcohol, the car won't start.

Existing law requires repeat offenders and those who register blood-alcohol content of 0.15 or greater to install the device. The legal limit is 0.08.

Currently, first-time DUI offenders can lose their license for three months to a year, pay fines, and face jail time.

The bill vetoed by Christie, which passed the Senate with broad support last month and the Assembly in June, would have eliminated automatic suspension of a first-time offender's license and instead force the offender to install an ignition interlock device.

The state would suspend offenders' licenses for 10 days, during which time they would have to show proof of the device's installation to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

The amount of time the device remained on the vehicle would vary based on blood-alcohol content and whether the motorist was a repeat offender. The minimum penalty would be three to six months' installation.

Christie's recommendation maintains much of that basic framework.

Under his proposal, offenders would lose their license for a given period of time, after which they'd be required to install the device.

Assemblyman Joe Lagana (D., Bergen), one of the bill's sponsors, said it was important for the device to be installed immediately.

Offenders don't always stop driving simply because their license is suspended, he noted. And unlike New York, New Jersey doesn't offer permits for those who need to drive their car to work, Lagana said.

"Having a full suspension period with an interlock installed after, with a full period of time when there is no interlock device still allows people to drive drunk," Lagana said in an interview.

He said legislators were deliberating how to proceed.

(c)2015 The Philadelphia Inquirer

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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