Drunken Driving Bill Passed by Wisconsin Senate

Drunken drivers who injure someone would have to spend at least 30 days in jail under a bill that has passed the Wisconsin state Senate.

Democratic Sen. Tim Carpenter argued that the Legislature didn’t do enough this year to combat drunken driving this year and tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill to toughen the law.

Under current law, judges can sentence a drunken driver who injures someone from between 30 days and one year in jail. The bill passed Tuesday would require that the person be sentenced to at least 30 days behind bars.

The bill would also make clear that anyone convicted of drunken driving for a seventh, eighth or ninth time must spend at least three years in prison.

The measure now heads to Gov. Scott Walker.