An Eastern Wisconsin State Senator wants to do more to make sure drunk drivers from out of state are held accountable.
Senator Andre Jacque of De Pere has authored a bill that would have Wisconsin join the Driver License Compact, a contract between 46 other states that enforces OWI/DUI convictions out of state by agreeing to honor the license suspension requirements in the state in which the DUI took place.
Jacque tells the story about 23-year-old Austin Lee Lockwood, who was killed by a drunk driver in Three Lakes, Wisconsin in 2018.
The drunk driver had an Illinois driver’s license and had it suspended because he didn’t want to take a blood test. Jacque says Lockwood has a bright future, but because Wisconsin didn’t notify Illinois of the violation, his Illinois license remained valid, a loophole that later allowed the offender to obtain a Wisconsin driver’s license after his family moved here.
Adding Wisconsin to the Driver License Compact would close a dangerous loophole.
This legislation still needs to have a full vote in the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate before it could go to Governor Tony Evers’ desk for a potential signing.
