S.D. May Require Drivers to Take Alcohol Blood Tests January 19, 2006
News Summary
South Dakota could soon become the first U.S. state to require drunk-driving suspects to submit to blood-alcohol testing, the Associated Press reported Jan. 18.A key state Senate committee has approved a measure that would repeal a state law allowing first- and second-time DWI suspects to refuse to take a blood test. The measure has passed the state House in the past but always failed in the Senate. Supporters of the measure said the blood tests are often the key to getting DWI convictions from juries.
State Sen. Lee Schoenbeck (R-Watertown), the main sponsor of the Senate bill, said DWI cases are the only ones where suspects are legally allowed to withhold evidence. The current law calls for one-year license revocations for those who refuse to take a blood text. "We ought to just quit the gamesmanship and get down to the basic idea of let's take drunks off the road," Schoenbeck said.
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