Bill would let some drivers with four OWI convictions seek restricted occupational licenses

Senate Bill 455, introduced Sept. 29, 2025 by Senator WIMBERGER and cosponsored by Representatives GOEBEN, SNYDER, MURPHY, DITTRICH, MELOTIK and KNODL, would allow people whose operating privileges were permanently revoked after four or more operating-while-intoxicated convictions to apply for an occupational license after the first 180 days of the revocation period. The bill text specifies that an occupational license issued under these circumstances must restrict operation to motor vehicles equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device and that the licensee is liable for the reasonable costs of equipping the vehicle.

The Legislative Reference Bureau’s analysis in the bill text says the measure changes current law under which the Department of Transportation may permanently revoke the operating privilege of a person with four or more OWI-related convictions and that, under current law, such a person is not eligible for an occupational license. The bill would make an applicant eligible for an occupational license after the first 180 days of a permanent revocation, subject to ignition interlock requirements, and preserves the ability to apply for full reinstatement after 10 years of the revocation period, with an existing 15-year spacing exception for earlier convictions remaining in place.

The bill also amends related statutes. One edit clarifies that, where a restriction to interlock-equipped vehicles applies, the applicant must pay reasonable costs to equip the vehicle. Another amendment adjusts waiting-period language elsewhere in ch. 343, including a provision that, in some circumstances, makes a person eligible for an occupational license after the first 45 days of a revocation period if they have completed required assessments and are complying with a court-ordered driver safety plan.

The text does not include floor debate, public testimony, or votes; it is the introduced bill and was referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. The document identifies sponsors and cosponsors only by the names shown in the bill text (for example, "Senator WIMBERGER"); given the bill text supplies only those names and titles, the article refers to them as presented in the document.

Next steps: the bill was referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety for consideration. No committee hearing dates or amendments have been included in the introduced text.