Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom wants judges to be able to add a “no alcohol sale” notice directly onto the driver’s licenses or Real IDs of people convicted of serious or repeat DUI offenses.
The bill, AB 1605, would target those with patterns of repeated DUI violations, requiring the restriction to appear on their IDs as a visible alert to anyone selling or serving alcohol.
The proposed legislation sites statewide data from the California DUI Management Information System, which shows more than 110,000 DUI arrests in 2021, with roughly 1 in 4 convicted offenders having at least one prior DUI on their record.
“Repeated DUIs signal a dangerous pattern that puts lives at risk,” Ransom, D-Tracy, said Thursday in a statement announcing the bill. “When warning signs are this clear, intervention is necessary to protect the public. Judges must have the ability to limit access to alcohol and prevent the next tragedy.”
The bill is modeled after a similar law recently enacted in Utah in which DUI offenders must surrender their license or identification card and apply for an “interdicted” license that is marked with a red banner stating “no alcohol sale.”
California’s version would grant judges discretion to apply the notice based on factors such as the severity of the offense and the person’s criminal history. This flexible approach aims to tailor penalties to individual cases while prioritizing public safety, Ransom’s office said in a news release.
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