Lawmakers mull upping penalties for drunken driving

Published 9:45 am Tuesday, April 13, 2010

An effort to crack down on Minnesotans who drink and drive is moving through the Legislature.

A bill sponsored by Sen. Steve Murphy of Red Wing is being discussed by a Senate panel Tuesday.

It calls for convicted drunk drivers to temporarily outfit their vehicle with an ignition lock device or else lose their driving privileges. The device requires drivers to blow into a tube to start their vehicle. Their breath must not exceed a blood-alcohol content of 0.02 percent. The legal limit for driving is 0.08 percent.

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The Senate and House bills are working their way through committees. Neither have made it to the floor for a vote.