Senator Dennis Parrett’s bill to broaden the window that allows for stronger penalties for habitual drunk drivers continues to make its way through the legislative process.
Senate Bill 56, which would expand what is known in legal circles as the “look back period” for prior offenses from five to 10 years, passed the Senate Wednesday.
Parrett, D-Elizabethtown, said this is an important move because in Kentucky, the fourth DUI conviction in a five-year period is treated as a felony.
The bill also changes the days that a report must be filed with the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to 180 days from 90. SB 56 now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
If the bill gains final approval, it will be known as the Brianna Taylor Act , in honor of an Elizabethtown teenager who lost her life due to a drunk driver.
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission