Saturday, December 11, 2010

Two strikes and you're out

How does a permanent license revocation for a second DWI conviction sound to you?

State Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) has filed SB231 that would revoke a motorist's license permanently upon a second conviction for driving while intoxicated. I guess Ms. Nelson somehow thinks that just because a person doesn't have a driver's license they won't get behind the wheel of a car. I don't know what planet she's from because where I live, the lack of a valid license has never stopped anyone.

Thinking practically (something our esteemed members of the legislature are not paid to do) about the proposal, how would these folks get back and forth to work? Would they be eligible for a permanently restricted license? Would they have to continue going back to court periodically to renew that license? Or is the legislature planning on funding mass transit programs in every town, city and county in the state so that people can get around in a reasonable manner without relying on their cars?

You know a proposal dealing with drunk driving is nutty when even MADD is against it.

“I don’t think this bill is going anywhere. It’s one of those make-you-feel-good types of bills, but it doesn’t stop drunk driving, People who lose their driver’s license are still going to drive ... they will be more careful after losing their licenses but they are still going to drive.” -- Bill Lewis, MADD public policy liaison

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