New Bill Introduced to Regulate California DUI Sobriety Checkpoints
Assemblyman Michael Allen of Santa Rosa has proposed a new bill (AB 1389) that would eliminate the current practice of impounding vehicles for unlicensed drivers stopped at California DUI sobriety checkpoints if the cars could be moved to a safe location or released to a licensed driver.
This issue grabbed Allen’s attention when members of local churches voiced concerns that Latino and undocumented immigrant drivers were being unfairly targeted since they are prohibited from receiving California driver’s licenses. Many of these immigrants are forced to leave their cars in impound because they can’t afford the substantial costs of having their vehicles released. Many are also being deported because their illegal status is revealed once they are caught driving without a license.
In addition to regulating vehicle impounds, the new bill would also require that California DUI sobriety checkpoints only be operated on roads with a high rate of drunk driving arrests as opposed to random locations that often pop-up in minority neighborhoods or high-traffic areas.
