Snyder signs bills allowing for more local penalties against ‘super drunk’ drivers

LANSING — Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday signed legislation allowing communities to enforce local ordinances targeting drunken drivers with extremely high bodily alcohol content (BAC).

Stiffer penalties against “super drunk” drivers — those with a BAC of 0.17 or higher — took effect in 2010. Because that law raised the maximum prison term for offenders, law enforcement officers were prohibited from writing tickets for high BAC violations under local ordinances.

“We all must work together to combat drunken driving and keep our roads safe,” Snyder said. “This legislation gives communities the tools to be effective partners in protecting Michigan families.”

The bipartisan package includes five bills:

• House Bill 4920, sponsored by former state Rep. Paul Scott;

• H.B. 4921, sponsored by state Rep. Kurt Heise;

• H.B. 4922, sponsored by state Rep. John Walsh;

• H.B. 4923, sponsored by state Rep. Bob Constan;

• H.B. 4924, sponsored by state Rep. Paul Muxlow, R-Brown City.

The bills now are Public Acts 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.

Snyder also recently signed legislation requiring the Secretary of State to refuse to issue or renew a driver’s license to a driver with three or more unpaid parking tickets. Previously, the state only refused drivers who had six or more unpaid tickets, resulting in some cities losing millions of dollars in unpaid fines. Senate Bill 130, sponsored by state Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, now is P.A. 13.