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Legislative Update: 2/28/2020

Legislative Update

As of the writing of this, February 27, 2020, the following are bills that MADD Virginia has followed during the State Legislative Session. As of writing, we are particularly concerned about SB 489. Clicking on the bill number will take you to the Legislative Information System with the most recent actions.

  • allow persons to lawfully drive drunk on their own residential property (SB 148); Bill continued to 2021 session. MADD VA Does NOT Support
  • allow persons convicted of first time DUI (with less than.15 BAC) to be afforded a restricted license with an ignition interlock (for 12 months) and no restrictions as to where said offender drives (SB 439); MADD Supports
  • allows final disposition of a DUI to be deferred, reduced or dismissed (SB 489) MADD VA Does NOT Support
  • eliminate “mandatory minimum” sentences (including for DUI offenses) effective on July 1, 2020 (SB 537); Bill continued to 2021 MADD VA Does NOT Support
  • disallow unlawful driving on a highway, specifically, by those persons whose license was revoked (SB 798); MADD VA Supports
  • create the Commonwealth Transportation Fund inc. enacting legislation disallowing open containers in motor vehicles, mandating seatbelt use by all persons in a motor vehicle and allowing primary enforcement of such, disallowing use of a “handheld personal communications device” while driving, etc. (HB 1414 and SB 890); MADD VA Supports the provisions requiring primary seat belt law and disallowing open containers
  • enact a spectrum of transportation safety legislation inc. disallowing open containers in motor vehicles, mandating seatbelt use by all persons in a motor vehicle and allowing primary enforcement of such, disallowing use of a “handheld personal communications device” while driving, etc. (HB 1439 and SB 907); MADD VA Supports the provisions requiring primary seat belt law and disallowing open containers
  • allow persons convicted of first time BAC test refusal to petition the court for a restricted license with both an ignition interlock (for a minimum of six months) and participation in the VASAP program (HB 34); MADD VA Supports
  • establish the prosecuting venue for persons charged with circumventing an ignition interlock device (HB 663); MADD VA Supports
  • lessen the penalties for certain DUI offenses committed by habitual offenders whom have their licenses otherwise revoked (HB 667); Bill was left in Committee and is dead MADD VA Does NOT Support
All Posts from 2020