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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Inslee signs law to crack down on repeat DUI offenders

By RACHEL LA CORTE Associated Press
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law a measure to more closely monitor motorists who repeatedly drive under the influence. Under the revised bill signed Thursday morning in Tacoma, drivers charged with a second impaired driving offense would face mandatory arrest and booking in jail and have an interlock device installed on their vehicles within five days of being charged. The state would also begin a pilot program in three counties and two cities to conduct daily alcohol monitoring on a person convicted twice under the DUI law. Additional money would be put toward ensuring prosecutors and local jurisdictions can prosecute and punish more offenders more quickly. The law, sparked by tragic accidents earlier this year, is a scaled back version of an initial plan that would have increased minimum jail times for offenders. It was introduced by Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley. A former judge, Padden handled “countless DUI cases during a dozen years on the Spokane County district court bench,” his office said in a news release.