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Drunk driving bills tightened

April 21, 2005
By: Tim Carnahan
State Capital Bureau
Links: SB37, 322, 78, 351 & 424

Homocidal drunk drivers could face more time behind bars under a measure discussed by the Missouri Senate. Tim Carnahan has more from the state Capitol.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Under the bill, drunk drivers responsible for road fatalities would spend more time in prison.

Depending on their blood-alcohol level and how many people were killed, drivers could get five to thirty year terms.

Missouri Republican Senator Chris Koster, a former Western Missouri prosecutor, passed an amendment softening the proposed penalties for all but the drunkest drivers.

Actuality:Koster
RunTime: 17secs
OutCue: "...truly the second half of that phrase is just as important."
Contents: "It's the prosecutors job to make sure every defendent receives justice, and none of them receive vengence. And it's awfully easy to think you're doing the job when you're only abiding by the first half of that phrase, when, truly, the second half of that phrase is just as important."

This bill caps a bad week for drunk drivers and teenage drinkers at the state Captiol.

It moves on just days after the Senate heard a bill increasing penalties for teenage drinkers.

From the state Capitol, I'm Tim Carnahan.

###TDC###

The Missouri Senate gave drunk drivers would have another reason to think twice before grabbing the keys. Tim Carnahan reports from the state Capitol.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

Under the bill, a drunk driver at three times the legal blood-alcohol limit who causes a fatal accident could get up to thirty years in prison.

The bill also increases the minimum penalty for all drunk drivers causing those fatal accidents.

They could spend up to fifteen years in prison.

While supportive of the bill, Democratic Saint Louis Senator Timothy Green said Republicans should admit their programs increase taxpayer costs.

Actuality:GREEN1
RunTime: 20secs
OutCue: "...people in prison."
Contents: Tell the people what they need to hear: we're going to make it tougher on drunk drivers; if they keep repeating drunk driving they kill people they go to prison; but, yes it's going to cost you money. So don't gripe at me and let's not hide around we're going to cut government when government is growing becuase we going to put more people in prison.

Drunk drivers and underage drinkers had a bad week at the state Capitol.

This bill was discussed just days after another bill increasing penalties for underage drinkers.

If caught, they could lose their driver's licenses.

From the state Capitol, I'm Tim Carnahan.

###TDC###