California continues to pass more bills related to alcohol regulation and dwi legislation among them, a bill that would permit the seizure of vehicles operated by drunken drivers in certain cases where the convicted defendant demonstrates a history or persistent drunken driving. California also closed a loop hold in the ignition interlock enforcement. This law would ensure that the drunken driver would complete all requirements of their probation before the ignition interlock was removed from their vehicle.

Drunken drivers have slipped through the cracks in this area. New York State has passed a similar bill, where this problem has been evident for some time. This bill was the only anti-dwi bill that passed this year. Why was California able to pass 13 anti-dwi bills while New York only managed one? This disparity could be attributed to the that fact in California Democrats have majorities inboth the senate and assembly. New York’s democratic assembly passes many anti-dwi  bills only to have them blocked by the majority Republican senate.

Kentucky and Tennessee passed a total of 9 anti-dwi bills this past year.