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From Thursday through Labor Day, law officers on both sides of the Kansas state line will target DUI offenders in an operation that authorities announced today.

Police from several agencies delivered the message today at a Kansas City, Kan., parking lot. They stood in front of a 26-foot trailer used to quickly set up checkpoints, which they promised would get plenty of use.

Federal grants pay states for police overtime for the enforcement efforts and the states distribute money to police. Police said that will let them go out in record numbers nationwide.

The Kansas Department of Transportation provided the trailer that police agencies can use, and Mission police have it now.

Mission Police Chief John Simmons said area police will use both DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols looking for drunken drivers and other offenders.
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Drunk driving laws in Kansas just got a lot tougher, as first-time offenders will now be required to use devices on their vehicles to prevent them from driving while intoxicated.

On Thursday, lawmakers approved a bill that will require the use of interlock devices for first-time offenders. In addition, the bill creates a central registry that will help police and prosecutors keep better track of DUI offenders.

“Now, all of the prosecutors in state of Kansas are gonna be required to report every DUI arrest to the respository,” said State Sen. Tim Owens. “The public and we in the legislature are very serious about doing something about DUIs.”

Attorney Brian Leininger says that the new laws make sense.

“This makes sense because they are allowed to drive a car with an ignition interlock device, and that ensures they’re not intoxicated when they drive,” said Leininger.

Critics argued the original bill had tougher penalties was just too costly for the state. One provision of the original bill that was not included in the final bill would have made it a crime to refuse a breathalyzer test.

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As the end of the session nears, legislators who back a bill to stiffen penalties for drunken drivers are throwing out words such as “petty” and “ridiculous” to describe the actions of colleagues they say are wrapped up in procedure and not what is important.

At issue is a matter of protocol that could sink a bill some say would help prevent drunken driving accidents such as one that killed a 4-year-old Wichita girl and her mother in 2008.

Senate Bill 6 would toughen penalties for DUIs and create a central repository to track offenders, among other things.

Here’s the hiccup: The House agreed to put $2 million in its budget to pay for community corrections for DUI offenders. But House budget negotiators accepted the Senate’s position not to fund the money, explained Rep. Pat Colloton, R-Leawood.

The House negotiators now are willing to consider the funding, Colloton said. But their leadership thinks the Senate should bring up the issue again. The Senate, meanwhile, says that if the House wants to reverse itself, representatives need to raise their hands.

“For this bill to fail for that kind of petty protocol would be a travesty for public safety,” Colloton said.

Sen. Tim Owens, R-Overland Park, is chair of the state’s DUI commission, which suggested the tougher restrictions.

On Wednesday morning, he refused to have a judiciary and corrections conference committee talk more about the bill until House and Senate budget negotiators find a way to talk about the money for community corrections.

Owens said both sides were unwilling to discuss Senate Bill 6, “which I will say publicly is an abomination.”

“I do not understand the reticence of both sides,” said Owens, who is also chair of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee.
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Sumner County Attorney Evan Watson says he won’t prosecute based on evidence gathered from Intoxilyzer and law enforcement officials say that needs to change.

An Intoxilyzer machine was recently given to the County to be used to measure breath alcohol. Sheriff’s Department officials say it would save the County money, as well as make it easier to get evidence for DUI cases.

The dismissal of cases isn’t coincidence, Watson readily admits he doesn’t convict based on Intoxilyzer.
“…someone has reported that we are refusing to prosecute Intoxilyzer cases. That is a fact…” said Watson.

Watson says Sumner County Sheriff Gerald Gilkey obtained the Intoxilyzer machine from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment without first talking to him about it.

“He did so without consulting with me and giving me a chance to discover whether or not that’s a good idea or a bad idea for prosecution of cases in the courtroom, now he will, and I admit, he will probably dispute that and say, ‘Well we did give Watson’s office notice. We had a training session, late last year and [Deputy Attorney] Joe Baca came out and we mentioned it to him and he said, ‘Yeah sure, no problem, go ahead we’re right on board, go do it,’” said Watson.
He says Baca disputes saying that and that his acceptance was taken out of context.
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Sedgwick County leaders say finances are their major concern as lawmakers consider proposals that would strengthen Kansas DUI laws.

Wednesday Sedgwick County Commissioners and the Sedgwick County Sheriff met with lawmakers from South Central Kansas. They discussed proposals currently in the legislature that would implement stricter punishments for drunk drivers.

Sedgwick County Commission chair Dave Unruh says he understands it is an important public safety issue, but he is concerned the proposals do not include any extra funding for jails and community corrections, which have already faced cuts.

“We’re perfectly willing to carry out whatever assignment they give us,” said Unruh, “but they need to fully fund the services that we’re being asked to provide.”

Lawmakers could take up the proposals again when they return from their annual Spring break next week.

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An overhaul of Kansas’ laws against drunken driving is stalled in the state Senate, where some members have misgivings about requiring ignition interlock devices for first-time offenders and others don’t want to increase liquor taxes to cover potential additional costs.

The senator trying to shepherd the bill through the Legislature isn’t sure anything will pass this year, even though the measure has been two years in the works. A key House member says lawmakers may have to settle for a less sweeping bill and then tinker with drunken-driving laws again.

The Senate had been scheduled to debate the drunken-driving legislation Wednesday. The measure increases penalties for refusing to take an alcohol test after a traffic stop and for being under the influence of alcohol or other drugs while working as a commercial driver. It creates a central state database of DUI influence cases to make it easier to track offenders’ histories.

But Senate leaders abruptly canceled the debate after a caucus of Republican senators, and Majority Leader Jay Emler, a Lindsborg Republican, said the measure doesn’t have enough support to pass. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Tim Owens, an Overland Park Republican who’s pushed for a comprehensive bill, said legislators aren’t willing to acknowledge that reforms create costs — or to look for the money.

“Without them willing to pay for it, now it’s not going to happen,” Owens said. “It’s all about money.”
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Some Kansas lawmakers are having sticker shock over the cost of proposed changes to the state’s DUI laws.

But Sen. Tim Owens, who led a commission that recommended the reforms, says he wants to save some of its provisions.

After a two-year study, the Kansas DUI Commission recommended creating a statewide computer repository of driving under the influence cases. It also recommended better treatment for offenders, penalties for refusing to take a breath test and stiffer consequences for repeat offenders.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the reforms could cost up to $10 million. And Sen. John Vratil, a Republican from Leawood, says that’s too much when the state is facing a multi-million dollar budget deficit.

Owens says he would like to at least save the central repository plan.

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Kansas state lawmakers are looking at a bill that would require ignition interlock on vehicles of all convicted drunk drivers.

When installed in a vehicle, ignition interlocks require the driver to pass a breathalyzer test, before the vehicle will start.

Current Kansas law requires interlocks to be installed for repeat offenders and those with first time offenses, with a blood alcohol limit of 0.15, which is nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08.

Representatives on behalf of Mothers Against Drunk Driving testified at the Statehouse Wednesday, explaining why the law is needed to keep Kansans safe.

According to MADD, similar DUI laws in New Mexico and Arizona have resulted in a 30 percent decrease in drunk driving fatalities.

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(WICHITA, Kan.) — Law enforcement and public safety officials from across the state say they’re cracking down on drunk driving.

The goal is to catch more impaired drivers.

Starting August 20 and continuing through the Labor Day weekend, Kansas law enforcement agencies will team up with law enforcement and highway safety agencies across the nation in the annual DUI enforcement mobilization, “Drunk Driving: Over the Limit. Under Arrest.”

The Kansas Department of Transportation says alcohol-related crashes are usually more serious than those not involving impaired drivers. In Kansas, impaired driving accounted for only 5 percent of all crashes in 2008, but 34.5 percent of all fatal crashes.

Statewide in 2008, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 3,366 alcohol-related crashes that resulted in 131 deaths and 1,999 injuries.

There were 120 alcohol-related crashes that caused 131 deaths; of those 120 crashes, half (59) involved drivers between the ages of 20 and 34. Of the 120 impaired drivers, 105 were male and 15 were female.

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With the clock ticking for lawmakers to get their work done before the end of the session, they’ve made a lot of progress in the last 24 hours.

Legislators are hard at work passing some laws that will have a big impact on Kansans. The first is the bill aimed at balancing the budget. It increases the sales tax by one cent starting in July. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk where he is expected to sign it.

The move protects funding to Kansas schools and should prevent more cuts to social services.

Lawmakers have also approved changes that will affect what you do behind the wheel. Among them is approving a ban on texting while driving. Legislators sent that ban to the governor late Monday. If you’re caught, it will cost you a $100 fine.

And a measure strengthening DUI laws was passed. It would require someone convicted of a second DUI to have an interlock device in the vehicle’s ignition. The device requires the driver to breathe into it in order to start the vehicle.

Also approved is a new seat belt law. If you aren’t wearing one, officers can now stop you for that. Unlike before when you would’ve had to commit another traffic violation before being ticketed for not buckling up. That bill is also on the governor’s desk.

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