Wisconsin lawmakers could find common ground on tougher drunk driving laws

It is increasingly clear that we shouldn’t expect much in the way of compromise when Wisconsin’s new Governor takes office next week. He still will have to try to get legislation through a republican controlled legislature, a legislature which has already ruffled the feathers of compromise by restricting the power of incoming Governor Tony Evers. Contentious issues will include taxes, school funding, and a possible tax hike to pay for road repairs. Evers could have a hard time getting the legislature to go along with his plans on those issues. But there is at least one issue where the Governor and lawmakers could find common ground; finally getting tough on drunk drivers. Wisconsin has taken some small steps to increase penalties for repeat drunk drivers in recent years, but the fact is Wisconsin remains the only state where first offense drunk driving isn’t considered a crime. It only results in a ticket. This is despite the fact that survey after survey show that Wisconsin has the highest rate of drunk driving in the nation. And we continually hear of people racking up their seventh or even tenth drunk driving offense. Getting tougher on those who choose to get behind the wheel after drinking is not a republican or democrat issue. It is an issue of safety that threatens to affect all of us. Our lawmakers in Madison should put aside their partisan differences and finally pass legislation to toughen the penalties for those who choose to drink and drive.