A legislative session which has seen sweeping revisions of state laws dealing with intoxicated driving has produced one more drunk driving bill – “Tim’s law” is headed to Governor Jim Doyle’s desk.
The measure (SB 303) requires that blood be drawn when a driver causes death or serious injury in a crash – whether or not there is probable cause to suspect the driver has been drinking. Tim’s law is named for Tim McKee, killed in November of 2008 by a suspected drunk driver in Washington County. His family was in the Assembly for Thursday’s vote.
The bill’s Assembly sponsor, Representative Dan Lemahieu, said that in the McKee case, the accused driver did not have a blood test until three hours after the fatal crash, and his lawyer argued the test had been coerced by police officers and was inadmissible. Lemahieu says the judge in the case has now allowed the test to be admitted and it’s ready to go to trial – fifteen months after Tim McKee’s death. Both the Assembly and Senate passed the bill on unanimous votes.
Bob Hague reports (1:20 MP3) AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (1:20 MP3)
