A Wyoming resident blows into an interlock system required to start his car after recieving a DWI.
A bill allowing for drug and alcohol offenders to stay out of jail by getting tested on a daily basis has passed in the state senate, but may not have the time to get to the Wyoming House of Representatives.
The 24/7 Sobriety Program is an act that would provide a consistent program throughout Wyoming for keeping repeat offenders out of the jails and prisons. On a second or subsequent offense a person would have the choice of being tested on frequent basis for alcohol and drugs instead of spending time in jail. The county is required to provide at least one testing facility and tests must take place twice a day no more than 12 hours apart. Failure of a test would result in immediate arrest of an offender participating in the program.
“This bill would have codified and provided a uniform system across the state,” Sen. Keith Gingery of Jackson said in an email Wednesday. He said many communities across the state already do this program.
Police Chief Mike Samp said the bill does not mandate each county to have a program, but the bill could make the programs across the state more uniform.
Gingery also stated, “[The bill] may be in trouble simply based on lack of time to get to it.”
Samp said that he believes counties across the state that already have pilot programs in place will keep them going even if the bill does not pass this legislative session.
“The program itself is very valid,” said Samp. “In addition to all the substance abuse or alcohol related issues that often coincide with DUI’s, one of the side benefits that has been documented is the reduction in domestic violence.”
AWARE program coordinator Lena Newlin said the 24/7 Sobriety bill has been written and designed to what other states have implemented already. The first 24/7 Sobriety program began in the neighboring state of South Dakota.
Newlin said that her office sees about 300 students per year and its not unusual for students that are on probation to be referred to her office by courts and probation officers.
“This particular bill won’t impact most of the students we see,” said Newlin. “But I could see a handful of people it could impact.”
“It would be a very valuable program to assist not only the probation office, but the courts and the offenders themselves,” said Samp. The twice-per-day breath tests combined with other tests makes the program very comprehensive, he said.
Samp said he thinks the program will help offenders get through their probation more smoothly considering the immediate repercussions.
The 24/7 Sobriety Program has been helpful and has worked in other states said Newlin. She said she is looking forward to the program reaching its potential.
The bill was passed its third reading by the Senate unanimously and was put on general file for the House of Representatives Thursday. The full bill can be found at legisweb.state.wy.us.
