This bill reduces the legal blood alcohol content for a driver from .08 grams to .06. As such, challenges by DUI offenders would likely increase. If there were an 8 percent increase in the number of DUI offenders who challenged the new standard, there would be 416 additional court trials/hearings at a cost of $45,600 in General Funds. Additional costs for state and local law enforcement agencies cannot be estimated at this time. Local prosecution costs, likewise cannot be estimated, but probable challenges of the statute, cases of probable cause due to enforcement decisions, and additional appeals are estimated to cost the Attorney General's office an additional $40,000 in General Funds. Presentence investigations for the courts, by Corrections, would cost an estimated $7,500 per year. Assuming that there would also be an 8 percent increase in probation caseload due to new DUIs under this bill, there would be an additional cost of $72,000 for probation supervision. If new prison comittments for DUI increased by 5 percent, there would be an additional 4 inmates costing $88,000 in General Funds.

Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst

2/12/97 8:53:23 AM

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