HB527 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Wayne Johnson

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Allen FarleyMike BallMac McCutcheonLynn GreerAllen Treadaway

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Driving under the influence, additional penalties for violations of by persons with at least 0.15 percent blood alcohol level, to include abstention from consuming alcoholic beverages and a requirement to wear a continuing alcohol monitoring device, Sec. 32-5A-191 am'd.

Summary

HB527 would add strict penalties for DUI with a blood alcohol level of 0.15% or higher, including abstaining from alcohol and wearing a continuous alcohol monitoring device for up to a year, plus expanded ignition interlock and treatment requirements for repeat offenses.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the bill would let courts order a high-BAC DUI offender to abstain from drinking and to wear a continuous alcohol monitoring device for up to 12 months. It would double the minimum punishment for 0.15%+ offenses and expand penalties, including ignition interlock requirements in more situations. Penalties would rise with each subsequent conviction, and fourth or later offenses could be Class C felonies with longer jail terms and longer IID use. The bill also requires treatment referrals and proof of completing a DUI or substance abuse program before license reissuance, and it creates funding and allocation rules for interlock-related costs.

Who It Affects

• DUI offenders with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15% or higher would face abstinence requirements, continuous alcohol monitoring, and enhanced penalties including longer license suspensions and ignition interlock use.
• Repeat offenders and cases with aggravating factors (such as a child present, injury, or BAC test refusal) would face escalating penalties, longer immobilized periods for licenses, and possible felony charges for the fourth or subsequent offense.

Key Provisions

• Allows courts to order abstinence from alcohol and to require a continuous alcohol monitoring device for up to one year for 0.15%+ DUI convictions.
• Defines the continuous alcohol monitoring device and requires data transmission with tamper-detection.
• Double the minimum punishment for offenses where BAC is at least 0.15% during the DUI adjudication.
• First conviction: 90-day license suspension; ignition interlock device (IID) may be required for 2 years if the offender refuses a BAC test, a child under 14 was present, or someone was injured.
• Second conviction within five years: fines 1,100–5,100; up to 1 year imprisonment with a mandatory sentence (not subject to suspension) of at least five days or 30 days of community service; license revoked for 1 year; IID required for 2 years.
• Third conviction: fines 2,100–10,100; imprisonment 60 days to 1 year (minimum 60 days in jail); license revoked for 3 years; IID required for 3 years.
• Fourth or subsequent conviction: Class C felony; fines 4,100–10,100; imprisonment 1 year and 1 day to 10 years; minimum 1 year and 1 day in jail; license revoked for 5 years; IID required for 5 years.
• Repeat offenses can trigger suspension of vehicle registrations for all owned vehicles during the license suspension period, with limited exceptions.
• Fees and funding for IID programs, plus distribution rules to interlock funds, courts, DPS, and other entities; issuance and reissuance fees are specified.
• Court referrals to DUI/substance abuse programs with proof of completion required for license reissuance; DPS won’t issue a license until completion is shown.
• Effective date set as the first day of the third month after passage and approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Motor Vehicles