| According to a Phoenix DUI Lawyer, Senate Bill 1069 | | | | enforce this second type of Aggravated DUI. In other |
| which will be heard by the Arizona State Legislature in | | | | words, they will let you plead to a misdemeanor DUI |
| the Second Regular Session of 2010 is proposing | | | | with a misdemeanor Driving on Suspended License |
| changing the now class 6 felony of DUI with a person | | | | ticket. |
| under 15 years of age in the vehicle to a class 4 | | | | In Maricopa County, Andrew Thomas has decided that |
| felony. Currently, if somebody is driving under the | | | | people who get a DUI while their license is suspended |
| influence with a child 14 years of age or younger in the | | | | should go to prison for 4 months (no exceptions). The |
| vehicle they are subject to the corresponding DUI jail | | | | problem is over 50% of Arizona citizens have had |
| time corresponding with its misdemeanor counterpart. | | | | their licenses suspended at some point during their |
| This new Senate Bill proposed to change the | | | | lives. Usually, when they were younger and they have |
| designation from a class 6 felony up to a class 4 | | | | simply failed to take care of a simple traffic citation. In |
| felony. It also seeks to increase the punishment to | | | | Maricopa County, Andrew Thomas has managed to |
| match the standard class 4 Aggravated DUI | | | | destroy the lives of many a college student who got |
| punishment. Currently that punishment is a minimum of | | | | their first and only DUI while their license happened to |
| 4 months in prison for a first offense. Prison means | | | | be suspended (thereby resulting in 4 months of prison, |
| that the person would be sentenced to the | | | | expulsion from any State University, loss of scholarship, |
| Department of Corrections for 4 months with no work | | | | etc.). |
| release or work furlough option (i.e., 24 hours a day in | | | | It now appears that the State Legislature wants to |
| custody). | | | | add this 4 month penalty to anyone who gets a DUI |
| Run of the mill Aggravated DUI usually involves a 3rd | | | | while they have a child under 15 in the vehicle. Many |
| DUI conviction within 7 years. Most people agree that if | | | | may argue that driving under the influence with a child |
| you did not get the point after the first 2 DUIs, you | | | | in the car is much more serious than getting a DUI |
| should go to prison on the 3rd DUI. A second provision | | | | while your license is suspended for failing to pay a |
| (which is not as well known) states that if you get any | | | | $50.00 reinstatement fee. I say to those people, you |
| DUI conviction while your license is suspended (even if | | | | might be right. Therefore, in this time of economic crisis |
| it is suspended for an unpaid ticket such as jay walking | | | | and budget woes, would it not make more sense to |
| or failure to register your car) then you also get 4 | | | | reduce the DUI penalty for DUI with a suspended |
| months in prison. Most people are shocked to hear | | | | license from a class 4 felony to a misdemeanor DUI |
| about this provision and think that the punishment is | | | | and a misdemeanor Driving on Suspended License. As |
| overly harsh for a person's first DUI. Every county in | | | | a Phoenix DUI Lawyer, I say this makes more sense. |
| Arizona (except for Maricopa) usually does not | | | | |