From Trib.com:
CHEYENNE — A bill to mandate alcohol testing for people suspected of driving under the influence passed its first Senate test Wednesday.
House Bill 29, which previously cleared the House, gained preliminary Senate approval on a 19-10 standing vote. It comes up for a second Senate vote today.
The bill would repeal the state’s 50-year-old implied consent law. That law says that by possessing a driver’s license, the owner gives consent to testing for alcohol levels.
Refusal means suspension of the driver’s license for six months for a first offense and 18 months for a second offense.
Supporters of the bill, including prosecutors and law enforcement officers, claim drivers have learned to refuse the test to avoid drunk driving convictions. They argue license suspensions are not a deterrent to these drivers.
The bill, which is aimed at repeat offenders, was patterned after a law adopted in South Dakota…..MORE