California Senate Weighs Bill to Make Drunken Boating Equal to DUI
The California Boating Safety Officers Association (CBSOA) in conjunction with other state agencies is sponsoring a California State Senate bill (154) to require that the Department of Motor Vehicles treat boating under the influence of alcohol (BUI) as seriously as the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI).
For nearly 15 years, California law enforcement agents have treated BUIs as essentially the equivalent of DUI offenses. For instance, BUI offenders have regularly had their licenses suspended and faced fines and jail time for navigating California's shores, rivers, streams, and lakes while inebriated or on drugs.
But in a landmark case in 2008, an appellate court ruled that the DMV could NOT assess BUI as equal to DUI. Shocked by the ruling, the CSBOA (and others) responded by proposing Senate Bill 154 to "re-establish" what had been the de facto rules for punishing DUI by enshrining those rules into law. California's senators and public advocates seem to be onboard with 154 (no pun intended), and the sponsoring legislator, Sen John Benoit, appears hopeful that it will pass. If it does, BUI offenders will face mandatory alcohol awareness education, license suspension, an array of possible punishments, including fines and jail time.
The CSBOA argues that "boating while intoxicated" accidents present very real and underreported dangers. Dozens of people a year die in California BUI accidents. In fact, the CBSOA estimates that as many as a quarter of all boating accidents involve drugs and/or alcohol.
If you're facing a "boating under the influence" charge, connect with the law firm of Stephen Brodsky and Associates to get sound insight into whether and how this new law might impact your case. Steve Brodsky, an experienced and reliable San Diego DUI attorney, can defend your rights and provide the best possible legal strategy. Discover more here at www.CriminalAttorneySanDiego.com.
