Governor Mark Sanford Visits Aiken; Pushes DUI Reform Tools
Filed Under Caucus, Massey, Top News
South Carolina ranks third in the nation for alcohol-related road deaths. Many say the state’s current DUI laws make it difficult to convict drunk drivers.
Governor Sanford made a stop at Jim Hanna’s Apparel Store in Aiken Monday morning to push his “First 30 Days Agenda”, announcing three key reforms that include changing what he calls “weak” DUI laws in the state.
“It’s easier to prosecute a first degree murder case in South Carolina than it is a DUI case, according to a whole number of solicitors across the state,” said Sanford.
Governor Sanford took his fight to the internet releasing a video on You Tube. It shows startling statistics of alcohol-related deaths in South Carolina and a grieving mother whose 5-year-old son was killed by a drunk driver in 2005.
Sanford is calling for stiffer penalties since 40 percent of drunk drivers are repeat offenders and end up pleading to lesser charges because of current DUI laws.
Sanford’s reform also includes, penalizing drivers based on blood-alcohol level, officers would not be required to repeat Miranda rights multiple times and suspending the driver’s license for any one who refuses to take a breath test.
South Carolina Senator Shane Massey says he pushing to the change the loopholes in the law.
“We need to make them so that they are easy to understand and possible for the solicitor to convict drunk drivers,” said Massey.
Governor Sanford laid out two other bills he wants passed during the next 30 days. He wants small businesses to have better access to health care by allowing them to ban together to buy health insurance.
He also wants immigration reform by requiring employers doing business in South Carolina to verify citizenship of their workers.
NBC Augusta
By Danielle Johnson
1/31/08
Comments
One Response to “Governor Mark Sanford Visits Aiken; Pushes DUI Reform Tools”
Leave a Reply
Why isn’t Governor Mark Sanford making the Illegal Drug Problem a Law Enforcement priority?
SOUTH CAROLINA
2006 TOP TEN ARREST CATEGORIES
1. DRUG LAW VIOLATIONS***********37,495
2. SIMPLE ASSAULT***********22,079
3. LARCENY****************17,691
4. BAD CHECKS*************17,449
5. DISORDERLY CONDUCT****14,940
6. DRUNKENESS********** 10,933
7. LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS*10,611
8. AGGRAVATED ASSAULT****9,103
9. DUI******************8,542
10. BREAKING/ENTERING**5,517
Arrest’s for Drug Law Violations comes in by far and away the NUMBER ONE PROBLEM in South Carolina from a Law Enforcement standpoint. In 2006, There were 15,416 more Drug arrests than there were Simple Assaults. Further, there were 28,953 more Drug Arrests than DUI’s.
Considering that Drug Law Violations are the ”number one” Law Enforcement problem in the State of South Carolina, the question that comes to mind is, who is responsible for this problem?
Well, let’s see, (SLED), everyone knows who SLED is, right? Who is in charge of SLED? Well, that would be the Chief of SLED, right? Who is the Chief? Well, the Governor just picked a new Chief, Reggie Lloyd.
Who does the now Chief Reggie Lloyd DIRECTLY report to? The Governor.
What’s interesting about this, is that we have this HUGE DRUG PROBLEM in South Carolina and the person that is responsible for fixing the problem(Governor Mark Sanford), well he is focusing on DUI’s. Well, that’s nice and all, but what about #1 problem instead of the #9 problem? Remember, there were Twenty-eight thousand more Drug Arrests than DUI’s, four times as many.
Why isn’t Governor Mark Sanford making the Illegal Drug Problem a Law Enforcement priority?
http://www.sled.sc.gov/Documents/CrimeReporting/SCCrimeBooks/2006/094-120%202006%20Arrest%20Data.pdf