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Senate advances OWI modernization bill but retains debate over pre-conviction license suspension

Senate Corrections and Criminal Law · January 13, 2026
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Summary

SB 251 consolidates operating-while-intoxicated statutes (land/air/water) and updates procedural rules; the panel approved it for appropriations after traffic prosecutors urged keeping judges' pre-conviction suspension tools to address risky drivers.

The committee moved SB 251, a modernization of operating-while-intoxicated (OWI/OVWI) law that consolidates vehicle definitions (land, air, water) and harmonizes specialized-driving-privilege procedures. Sponsor described the bill as a cleanup measure to reduce patchwork rules across counties and to modernize how the statutes apply to watercraft and aircraft as well as cars.

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