MADD Michigan is currently working to get volunteers, victims, and survivors engaged in passing an All Offender Ignition Interlock Law, and ending the Sunset Clause for .08 BAC. An ignition interlock is a device about the size of a cell phone that is wired into the ignition system of a vehicle. A convicted drunk driver must blow into the device in order to start their vehicle. If they have a measurable amount of alcohol in their system, the vehicle will not start. 34 states and Washington DC have passed this law already, and Michigan has not passed the law, it is currently sitting in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Did you know that Michigan is the only state with a Sunset Clause for the .08 Blood Alcohol Content for stopping Impaired Drivers? A sunset law is also known as the sunset provision and it is a legal provision that has an expiration date for a government program, agency, or law on a certain date unless it is renewed. The Michigan Legislature has approved bills that will continue that state’s 0.08 blood-alcohol limit for drunk driving until 2021. The limit of 0.8 was set in 2003, however, a sunset provision has been put on it means that the law has to be revisited and amended when the deadline comes around or the law is no longer in place. Under the latest legislation, the limit is going to go back up from 0.8 to 0.10 in October 2021. Our goal is to end the Sunset Clause and have a new law that would have .08 be a law that never has to be debated again.
It will take volunteers of all commitments and skill levels to help us create stronger laws to end impaired driving in Michigan. From Leadership Roles to Contacting Your Legislator, there will be multiple ways for you to get involved. Public Policy volunteers would assist staff by engaging the public and legislators through educating them on the law. Public Policy volunteers also spread awareness of MADD’s legislative agenda throughout their communities, and communicate MADD’s legislative agenda to their legislators and encourage legislators and community leaders to support MADD’s legislative priorities.
