MADD supports SB 907 because the measure increases the ability for victims to obtain justice following a crash and it closes loopholes and provides an extra deterrent to impaired driving.

The five aspects of SB 907 to reform California’s DUI law that gives victims of impaired driving a voice: 

• Creates Braun’s Law to mandate Watson advisements in all situations where a DUI is dismissed by the court or plead down to any other charge (including a hit and run). After receiving a Watson advisement, an individual who drives drunk again and kills someone may face second degree murder charges.
• Creates Kolya and Anya’s Law to allow full term consecutive sentencing for multiple violations of gross vehicular manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. This provision creates an exception to the “volume discount” or 1/3 the mid-term rule for consecutive sentencing
• Closes a loophole where someone who kills another while driving drunk may serve less time than if the victim lived as it adds gross vehicular manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated to the violent felony list in PC 667.5.
• Increases punishment for hit and run and hit and run with injury if the driver has a prior DUI conviction within 10 years. MADD believes anyone who causes a hit and run crash should face equitable penalities to that of impaired drivers.
• Targets repeat offenders by adding a 3-year enhancement for prior felony DUI convictions. Currently, an individual typically receives a felony DUI upon their fourth violation within 10 years.

On this page, please email your state lawmakers in support of SB 907 to reform the DUI law.