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HB 112: LICENSE SUSPENSION - YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS - 1997 General Session
Sponsor: Rep. George McMurtrey (R-H52, Rozet); co-sponsors Rep. Rick Badgett (R-H29, Sheridan), Rep. Mike Baker (R-H28, Thermopolis), Rep. Eli Bebout (R-H55, Riverton), Rep. Budd Betts (R-H22, Dubois), Rep. Ray Harrison (R-H27, Worland), Rep. Wayne Johnson (R-H9, Cheyenne), Rep. Fred Parady (R-H17, Rock Springs), Rep. Tony Rose (R-H15, Rawlins), Rep. Harry Tipton (R-H33, Lander), Sen. Grant Larson (R-S17, Jackson), Sen. Robert Peck (R-S26, Riverton)
Under Wyoming’s existing motor vehicle laws, driving with a blood alcohol level of .10 or more is driving under the influence. HB 112 lowered this level to .02 for drivers under 21.
Anyone accepting the privilege of driving is also deemed to have given consent to chemical tests of blood, breath, or urine for the purpose of determining alcohol concentration in the blood.
HB 112 provided that a youthful driver found in violation would have his/her license suspended for 90 days for a first offense, six months for a second offense or a previous conviction under a law prohibiting driving while under the influence within three years, or a year if the individual has a combination of previous violations of laws prohibiting driving under the influence within three years.
HB 112 also provided that a person not yet in possession of a driver’s license and found in violation shall be denied a license for a year or until the person is 17, whichever is longer.
The House amended HB 112 to provide that records of convictions or license suspensions under the youth .02 standard shall not be made part of the normal records available for public inspection at the Department of Transportation, and not be used to justify an increase in insurance premiums or the cancellation of insurance for a minor or his/her parents.
The House also amended the bill to direct the Department of Transportation to expunge the record relating to the suspension of a driver's license for violation of the .02 standard when the youth reaches 21.
The Senate further amended the bill to raise the .02 standard to .04.
Proponents of HB 112 argued that the Legislature needs to send a clear message to underage drinkers that drinking and driving will not be tolerated, and that younger drinkers have less tolerance for alcohol.
Opponents argued that HB 112 created a double standard for drivers under 21 and drivers 21 and over: Driving while impaired is driving while impaired, and the same standards and punishments should apply no matter what the driver's age.
HB 112 passed the House, 45-15, but foundered in Committee of the Whole (the first opportunity for floor debate) in the Senate, 10-20.
The votes listed below are the third reading (final passage) vote in the House and the Committee of the Whole vote in the Senate.
A YES vote means the legislator supported suspending or denying a driver's license to drivers under 21 caught with a blood alcohol concentration of .02 or .04 (compared to .10 for 21 and over).
A NO vote means the legislator opposed such suspensions or denials.
|
BIG HORN BASIN LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S18 |
Sen. Hank Coe (R) |
No |
|
H24 |
Rep. Peg Shreve (R) |
Yes |
|
H50 |
Rep. Pat Childers (R) |
Yes |
|
S19 |
Sen. Carroll Miller (R) |
Yes |
|
H25 |
Rep. Denny Smith (R) |
No |
|
H26 |
Rep. Chas. Hessenthaler (R) |
Yes |
|
S20 |
Sen. Gerald Geis (R) |
Yes |
|
H27 |
Rep. Ray Harrison (R) |
Yes |
|
H28 |
Rep. Mike Baker (R) |
Yes |
|
CASPER-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S27 |
Sen. Gail Zimmerman (R) |
Yes |
|
H35 |
Rep. Dorothy Perkins (R) |
Yes |
|
H36 |
Rep. Bruce Hinchey (R) |
No |
|
S28 |
Sen. Keith Goodenough (D) |
No |
|
H56 |
Rep. Pat Nagel (R) |
Yes |
|
H57 |
Rep. Bob Tanner (R) |
Yes |
|
S29 |
Sen. Bill Hawks (R) |
No |
|
H37 |
Rep. Rick Tempest (R) |
Yes |
|
H59 |
Rep. Nancy Berry (D) |
No |
|
S30 |
Sen. Charles Scott (R) |
Yes |
|
H38 |
Rep. Carolyn Paseneaux (R) |
No |
|
H58 |
Rep. Ann Robinson (D) |
Yes |
|
CHEYENNE-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S4 |
Sen. April Brimmer Kunz (R) |
No |
|
H7 |
Rep. Tony Ross (R) |
Yes |
|
H41 |
Rep. Mac McGraw (D) |
Yes |
|
S5 |
Sen. Donald Lawler (R) |
Yes |
|
H8 |
Rep. Larry Meuli (R) |
Yes |
|
H42 |
Rep. John Hanes (R) |
Yes |
|
S6 |
Sen. Rich Cathcart (D) |
No |
|
H9 |
Rep. Wayne Johnson (R) |
Yes |
|
H10 |
Rep. Pete Anderson (R) |
Yes |
|
S7 |
Sen. Guy Cameron (D) |
Yes |
|
H11 |
Rep. Wayne Reese (D) |
Yes |
|
H43 |
Rep. Kathryn Sessions (D) |
Yes |
|
S8 |
Sen. Jayne Mockler (D) |
No |
|
H12 |
Rep. Leo Garcia (D) |
Yes |
|
H44 |
Rep. Floyd Esquibel (D) |
Yes |
|
GILLETTE-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S23 |
Sen. Larry Gilbertz (R) |
No |
|
H31 |
Rep. John Hines (R) |
No |
|
H52 |
Rep. George McMurtrey (R) |
Yes |
|
S24 |
Sen. Dick Erb (R) |
No |
|
H32 |
Rep. Jeff Wasserburger (R) |
Yes |
|
H53 |
Rep. Nick Deegan (D) |
Yes |
|
LANDER/RIVERTON-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S25 |
Sen. John Vinich (D) |
No |
|
H33 |
Rep. Harry Tipton (R) |
Y |
|
H54 |
Rep. Cale Case (R) |
No |
|
S26 |
Sen. Bob Peck (R) |
Yes |
|
H34 |
Rep. Frank Philp (R) |
Yes |
|
H55 |
Rep. Eli Bebout (R) |
Yes |
|
NORTHEAST/EAST CENTRAL WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S1 |
Sen. Bill Barton (R) |
No |
|
H1 |
Rep. Marlene Simons (R) |
No |
|
H2 |
Rep. Ross Diercks (D) |
No |
|
S2 |
Sen. Jim Twiford (R) |
No |
|
H5 |
Rep. Jim Hageman (R) |
No |
|
H6 |
Rep. Jim Anderson (R) |
Yes |
|
S3 |
Sen. Curt Meier (R) |
No |
|
H3 |
Rep. Bill Stafford (R) |
No |
|
H4 |
Rep. Roger Huckfeldt (R) |
No |
|
SHERIDAN-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S21 |
Sen. Tom Kinnison (R) |
No |
|
H29 |
Rep. Rick Badgett (R) |
Yes |
|
H51 |
Rep. Bruce Burns (R) |
Yes |
|
S22 |
Sen. John Schiffer (R) |
No |
|
H30 |
Rep. Bill Bensel (D) |
Yes |
|
H40 |
Rep. Douglas Osborn (R) |
Yes |
|
SOUTH CENTRAL WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S9 |
Sen. Vince Picard (R) |
No |
|
H13 |
Rep. Mike Massie (D) |
Yes |
|
H45 |
Rep. Wende Barker (D) |
Yes |
|
S10 |
Sen. Irene Devin (R) |
No |
|
H14 |
Rep. Phil Nicholas (R) |
No |
|
H46 |
Rep. Tom Rardin (R) |
Yes |
|
S11 |
Sen. Bob Grieve (R) |
No |
|
H15 |
Rep. Tony Rose (R) |
Yes |
|
H47 |
Rep. Teense Willford (R) |
No |
|
SOUTHWEST WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S12 |
Sen. Rae Lynn Job (D) |
Yes |
|
H16 |
Rep. Kenilynn Zanetti (D) |
No |
|
H48 |
Rep. Jack Steinbrech (R) |
Yes |
|
S13 |
Sen. Ray Sarcletti (D) |
No |
|
H17 |
Rep. Fred Parady (R) |
Yes |
|
H60 |
Rep. Louise Ryckman (D) |
Yes |
|
S14 |
Sen. Mark Harris (D) |
No |
|
H18 |
Rep. John Eyre (R) |
Yes |
|
H39 |
Rep. Chris Boswell (D) |
Yes |
|
S15 |
Sen. Greg Phillips (D) |
No |
|
H19 |
Rep. Wayne Morrow (D) |
No |
|
H49 |
Rep. Ken Decaria (D) |
Yes |
|
WEST CENTRAL WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S16 |
Sen. Delaine Roberts (R) |
Yes |
|
H20 |
Rep. Louie Tomassi (R) |
Yes |
|
H21 |
Rep. Randall Luthi (R) |
Yes |
|
S17 |
Sen. Grant Larson (R) |
Yes |
|
H22 |
Rep. Budd Betts (R) |
Yes |
|
H23 |
Rep. Clarene Law (R) |
Yes |
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