Dear Friend,
It is a new year and with every new year comes hope that change can happen. It is my hope that during this year, the Legislature can renew its commitment to open and transparent government and leave the past year of secrecy behind.
As usual, please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or opinions you may have about our community or our state.
Sincerely,
Chris Larson
State Senator, District 7
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Article 1
Making Our Roads Safer with Ignition Interlock Devices
Earlier this session, my Democratic colleagues and I succeeded in saving WiscNet from the chopping block in the Governor’s last budget. However, Governor Walker left a provision in his budget that called for the Legislature to conduct an audit of WiscNet by January 1, 2013, with the end of WiscNet scheduled to go into effect six months later. Legislation was introduced this past week to extend this timeline, which will provide for another full year of WiscNet functionality while the audit can be more fully studied and independently reviewed.
WiscNet is a non-profit, cooperative Internet provider that supplies service to public higher education institutions, such as UW-Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, K-12 schools and libraries across Wisconsin. WiscNet services 450 members, many of which provide essential services such as health care and education. Without WiscNet, our educational institutions and libraries would have been forced to seek Internet and broadband services from for-profit corporate telecommunications providers at a greater cost to the state and taxpayers.
WiscNet is important to the future vitality of Wisconsin's economy in an increasingly online world. These services keep Wisconsin competitive and preserve our public education institutions. Because WiscNet is so important to the educational, economic and technological future of Wisconsin, I will be supporting LRB 3626 and 3655, which will extend the timeline.
Click here to view a copy of this legislative proposal.
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Article 2
Making Our Roads Safer with Ignition Interlock Devices
Like many in Wisconsin, I understand the tragic cost of the drunk driving epidemic that has touched all corners of our state. Too often drunk drivers cause accidents that kill or injure our family, friends and neighbors, shattering lives and tearing the fabric of our communities.
We must do more to end these preventable tragedies and safeguard our loved ones. Our family, friends and neighbors cannot afford to wait any longer for stronger drunk driving laws. Wisconsin’s drivers and passengers deserve greater peace-of-mind while on the road.
In the past, the solution has simply been to take away the driver’s licenses of convicted drunk drivers. However, we know this does not do enough to prevent them from driving. DOT estimates for 2010 show that over 32,000 people were convicted of driving drunk in Wisconsin and nearly 32% of these were repeat offenders.
It is time that begin to change Wisconsin's culture of drinking and driving, which is why Rep. Tony Staskunas and I have introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen our state’s drunk driving laws through increased use of ignition interlock devices.
Click here to view a copy of this legislation.
This legislation strengthens our lax drunk driving laws by stipulating that all first-time convicted drunk drivers have an ignition interlock device placed in their vehicle. Currently, ignition interlock device are only installed in vehicles of first-time offenders with blood alcohol content of .15 or higher and repeat offenders. This life-saving technology has been proven to reduce drunk driving recidivism by 67 percent, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
This legislation is a step in the right direction. I continue to work with advocates and law enforcement as we strive to overhaul Wisconsin's arcane drunk driving laws.
Click here to view a letter from Mothers Against Drunk Driving discussing the importance of ignition interlock devices in reducing drunk driving to save lives. http://legis.wisconsin.gov/eupdates/sen07/MADD%20Letter%20of%20Support%20for%20SB%20320.pdf
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