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State Senator Thinks DWI is Too Damn Expensive

By Eric Lipman

Being able to identify with your constituents is, no doubt, the key to political longevity. Perhaps that's what motivated Texas state Sen. John Whitmire to suggest the repeal of the Driver Responsibility Program, under which the state imposes a $1,000 per year surcharge for three years on first-time DWI offenders. Whitmire, who chairs the Criminal Justice Committee, believes that, because many offenders can't pay those charges, they simply continue driving unlicensed and uninsured. This article from The Houston Chronicle details Whitmire's concerns about the program and other aspects of the state's DWI enforcement regime, including inconsistency in prosecution protocol among counties. In Whitmire's words: "We need a consistent DWI policy across the state of Texas," Whitmire said. "Why would the state of Texas have a criminal justice system in Houston that will completely allow you to have no record, and in the New Braunfels experience you do (have a record), and then you go to Bexar County and she don't even file on you (for) DWI the first time? You need to be selective about where you want to get caught drinking I guess." Note to self: The "New Braunfels Experience" is apparently not a theme park ride, and should...

Full post as published by Legal Blog Watch on July 09, 2010 (boomark / email).