Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility supports ignition interlock bill passed by the Rhode Island General Assembly
Providence, RI – The Rhode Island General Assembly has passed Senate Bill (SB) 2231, supported by the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. If signed into law, SB 2231 will mandate the use of ignition interlock devices for convicted DUI offenders with a BAC at .15 or above, repeat DUI offenders and repeat BAC test refusal offenders. The new law will allow a judge to grant a conditional hardship license on a first DUI offense, which means the offender will be allowed to drive to and from work only, as long as they install an ignition interlock device. Also this new law will require treatment for offenders at their 3rd DUI offense. This new law will take effect on January 1, 2015 upon Governor Lincoln Chafee’s signature.
“We believe SB 2231, if signed into law, will make important steps in the right direction to greatly improve DUI law in Rhode Island and prevent fatalities and injuries on Rhode Island roads,” said Ralph Blackman, President and CEO of the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. “We are proud to support this legislation and to work with the members of the Rhode Island General Assembly, Attorney General Kilmartin and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. We strongly encourage Governor Chafee to sign this bill.”
Since it was founded, the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility has been a leader in the fight to combat drunk driving. The group supports general deterrence countermeasures aimed at eliminating drunk driving, which include administrative license revocation, .08 BAC limit for drivers, ignition interlocks for all convicted DUI offenders, high visibility enforcement, BAC education, safe ride and designated driver programs, and the development of technology that will prevent a driver at a .08 BAC level from starting a vehicle. The Foundation for Alcohol Responsibility supported drunk driving legislation in 33 states this year.
As part of a comprehensive solution to eliminate drunk driving, the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility supports the mandatory and effective use of ignition interlocks for all convicted DUI offenders. Effective use of ignition interlocks requires proper assessment and treatment, supervision, and verification of installation for all offenders ordered to install the device. Currently, 24 states and four counties in California require ignition interlock devices for all DUI offenders.
For more information on our policy positions on drunk driving, please visit https://www.responsibility.org/drunk-driving/advancing-effective-solutions-eliminate-drunk-driving.
About the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility
Formerly known as The Century Council, the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) is a national not-for-profit that leads the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; Beam, Inc.; Brown-Forman; Constellation Brands, Inc.; DIAGEO; Hood River Distillers, Inc.; and Pernod Ricard USA. For more than 23 years, Responsibility.org has transformed countless lives through programs that bring individuals, families and communities together to guide a lifetime of conversations around alcohol responsibility. To learn more, please visit us at www.responsibility.org.