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House approves bill making deaths in repeat-offender DUI crashes a second-degree felony
Summary
The Utah House passed first substitute Senate Bill 7 unanimously, making a death caused while driving under the influence by a driver with a prior DUI conviction an automobile homicide and a second-degree felony.
Representative Kelly introduced first substitute Senate Bill 7 on the House floor, saying the measure makes a death caused in a crash by a driver who previously was convicted of driving under the influence into automobile homicide, a second-degree felony. "Basically, what it does, if a person has had a previous conviction of driving under the influence... if a subsequent accident occurs while they're driving under the influence and someone is killed in that accident, it... becomes automobile homicide and is a second degree felony," the sponsor said.
The sponsor emphasized that the change applies only when the driver has a prior DUI conviction and then again drives under the influence and causes a death. The bill carried a law-enforcement committee report noting the committee voted 10 yes, 0 no, 1 absent in favor.
There was no further recorded debate. The House conducted a voice/vote procedure and the clerk announced that first substitute Senate Bill 7 "having received 58 yes votes and 0 no votes passes this body and will be referred to the Senate for further consideration." The bill will be returned to the Senate for further action.
