Well...... I really messed up. I have always been a strong supporter of tougher drunk driving laws. I rarely drink and never drive intoxicated. I had a spotless driving record until two days ago. I blew a .10 . the driver I was with was way to drunk to drive and I felt ok so I said I would drive.....VERY STUPID OF ME!!!
I feel ashamed and I will NEVER drink again unless I am at a campfire fishing with my tent behind me. Sometimes we all make mistakes and I dont plan on wasting my time(or the courts) arguing the case in court. My only fear is that I am in school and that it might effect my ability to get certain jobs. I know it will be on my driving record forever....but I was wondering how long until it will not effect employment opportunities? I know this is off the topic but does anyone know if this will permanently effect me for driving jobs with certain companies. I am going to school for IT Networking and communications...if that helps.

to: italiajc

you act like you've never broke any law in your entire life. were you convicted on site? NO! you had to be found guilty in the court of law! so why should it be just drunk drivers that are the problem? PEOPLE DO MAKE MISTAKES!!!!! you aren't any better then the rest of the world. I understand that it is not good to drink & drive but like I said I made the mistake & REGRET IT BIG TIME!!!! So maybe some people don't learn but I DID! So plz find someone else to complain about!

Tread very lightly Napalm.......reason and common sense seem to be frowned upon in this thread!!:)

have any of you morons ever heard of a state ID. if you drive drunk you should have your liscence confiscated and sent to your local DMV.so you can get your new state ID because you lost your driving priveledges.an invalid drivers liscence is not a valid form of identification by wis law.if you cant cash your check or use your credit card thats your problem. drunk driving is very serious and people should stop feeling sorry for those who violate this law that kill thousand a year in wisconsin.

OMG! Lawmakers using common sense! Kudos to the Joint Finance Committee! With identity theft, immigration issues etc. in the forefront, why take away their already issued government IDs?!? Okay, put a red star on their license (not allowed to drive), but confiscating the D/L poses a problem not only to the citizen, but also to the NEXT police officer who demands ID. Duh.

what prrpose does it serve to take awa the license? If you lose your license for failing to pay a ticket the don't come to your house and confiscate your license. Try buying anything with acredit/debit or check without a license. I didn't even open my first checking account until i got my license.

Yes people that's just what we want more people in line at the DMV to get I'D cards aren't the lines long enough, how would they ever handle all the extra work?

ljs64, why then after my 3rd conviction do I still have 2 drivers license cards neither of which were taken from me and I was never issued a pinhk slip by the arresting officer who just happened to be a Wisconsin State Patrol officer?

U know what.... I'm not here to make people feel bad for me! I'm here to give my opionion on the article that was posted in the paper! LAST I KNEW IT'S CALLED FREEDOM OF SPEECH! So get over yourself & think logically!!!!!!!

coyote - YOU are so WRONG. Below is YOUR statement -
"A drivers license is your personal property and is retained until conviction, at which time you are required to surrender it to the DMV. Whether you do or not is rarely followed up on by any agency."
*******
Your DL is NOT YOUR property, it is the property of the issuing state. Once you sign your name to receive the priviledge of getting a DL you have given "Implied Consent" to under go any and ALL testing by law enforcement agenices.
Once ARRESTED for OWI/DUI the arresting officer KEEPS your DL and issues you a PINK slip which serves as your DL until either you are found guily or Not guilty of the offense.

Get a clue before you speak........

Let's help out all the poor OWI drivers who are obviously victims of something. It's just too much work for them to go out and get a WI state ID card!

When this state's legislature wastes time on issues like this, it's a good guess that we don't need a full-time legislature.

Maybe we all need to go back and read the comments made when someone with 4, 5, or more DUI'S OR OWI'S OR WHAT EVER, had an accident that maimed or killed someone, and see what you said then about doing something to prevent this from happening over and over. Now some one wants to do something and people are up in arms about it. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR CRYING-OUT-LOUD? Do you want something done or not?

dmfd24: Excellent post!

One key word stands out to me in the article "suspected" drunk drivers. If they haven't been convicted of a crime then why should there punishments start right away. I swear most of the people that comment on the Gazette want to see this country turned into The United Socialist Republic of America and have us all governed by Gustopo.

Well as a passed one time owi offeneder I would know how to answer this question. I believe that I have learned my lesson. I will NOT EVER drink & drive again!!!!!!!! But I feel that it makes your life very hard as it is suppose to, though taking you drivers license (identificaton) away is not the answer. Even though you are not able to drive as your punishment for what you did, doesn't mean you don't need to have your i.d. for other purposes. You pay for what you did in so many other ways that taking your drivers license for i.d. purposes away to prove who you are is over board! It's not an inconvience to get an i.d. at the d.m.v., it's just ways to make more money. When you are convicted of any offense like this or other major things, the best thing is to take classes, counseling, community service & pay your fines. But come on for real do you really think taking the identification away is really called for? NO! When people commit other crimes they don't take it from them so what makes this any different?!

I'm not sure I agree with the logic or reasoning that its undue hardship, but I am also not in agreement that it deters anything by taking the license.

In the end, an ID or passport, will suffuce for the purpose of check cashing etc... So maybe the added cost to aquire those items will also deter future OWI actions. In my case it would have no affect to take my license other than I would not drive. I have other ID's that would suffice for checks and travel etc.....

This is an idiotic idea. Wisconsin (and every other state that I know of) has an official ID card available for non-drivers. (For example, blind people.) Why shouldn't people with a DUI have to get one of those?

I agree with some of the other's that it doesn't matter wether or not they keep their physical driver's license, as long as it is noted that they are not supposed to be driving. People drive without a license all the time and there is not much they can do about it unless they get pulled over. Besides, I wouldn't want all these people filling up the already over croweded DMVs. The wait for license renewals and the such is ridiculous. Imagine if all the drunk drivers were waiting there too!

Yeah Right...............

Go Rep. The dem's never get it right

I agree that a driver's license is nothing more than an identification card with the words "Driver License." Having a physical DL is not the same as having driving privileges. By allowing those convicted of OWI to retain their identification card could reduce the waiting lines at DMV centers to some extent.

At any rate, I see no problem with this legislation. It's not getting special treatment. All it does is remove a step that doesn't serve any legitimate purpose and that creates an unnecessary strain on DMV offices and customers.

When a suspect is requested to take an Intoxilyzer test (as opposed to a PBT, or preliminary breath test) the results of the test are automatically transmitted to DMV by the Intoxilyzer machine. Even if the suspect refuses the test, that refusal is transmitted to DMV.

What difference does it make if they get to keep their license or not? If they want to drive they are going to whether they have that little card or not. If they get stopped and have their license, a little check thru the system will show they're not allowed to drive and they'll get in trouble. If they get stopped and don't have their license, they'll get in trouble. Either way they're in trouble. Unless I'm missing something here, I don't see what all the fuss is about.

Sorry about your damn luck.

A drivers license is your personal property and is retained until conviction, at which time you are required to surrender it to the DMV. Whether you do or not is rarely followed up on by any agency.

Got to agree with the Republican lawmakers on this one. WHAT are they thinking trying to weaken drunk driving laws????

A sheriff's deputy friend told me that the DMV is notified that you have been charged for OWI before you are convicted (or not) and that the arresting law enforcement department has the offender's drivers license. You are issued a "pink" slip to drive on until a court date.

A physical drivers license is nothing more than an ID. People drive with them and without them, what's the big deal. Plus, having to go to the DMV would be considered inhumane punishment.

Ok Pack....time to get down off of the soapbox:) The vast majority of DUI arrests don't involve death or maiming. People should have 2 driver's licenses to begin with. I picked up another one after tearing my house apart after misplacing mine 2 hours before I had to catch a flight. Luckily, I found it in time. Now, when I travel I always carry both of them......One to carry with me, the other stays with my flight information in my carry on bag.....Anyone that gets busted for DUI should just simply run to the DMV and get a duplicate before they are convicted.......

What idiot thought that up? Oh, apparently our Democratic lawmakers in Madison. Seems all of the Republicans voted against it. So now which party is out of step with the people?

God forbid we inconvenience the drunk drivers in Wisconsin!!! Are all the damn lawmakers in this state drunk too!!!!!!!

MY VOTE IS LIKE SOME OF THE OTHERS....MAKE THEM BUY A STATE I.D. CARD.

let the legislatures keep the drunk drivers

Keep all this in mind when Mike Sheridan puts out another glowing report of what the Democrats have done for us all here in WI (if you didn't read it, it is in the opinion section).

So, what's wrong with making them pay for a state ID... just like everyone else that doesn't or can't have a drivers license.

"As lawmakers struggle to find a way to pay for toughening (the drunken-driving laws), a legislative panel approved a measure on Wednesday that would let suspected drunken drivers keep their licenses for identification purposes only.

Bullcrap, and that is a common phrase, but let them suffer every penalty the system has to thro at them. Including a red stamp upon their i.d cards. No special bills that support drunk drivers. WTF are they thinking?

We could give a rats ass if your only up for your first offence. You get out there and kill a family of five, and then it will be too late.

It unduy penalizes the poor drunk driver. Awww poor babies. Please allow me to give you hugs right before I smack you on the head. My guess is, the people who are maimed or die because of a drunk driver AREN'T unduly penalized???? <sigh> The world is so upside down.

Good - now make them pull it out to vote, like ALL should have to.

Good. It is hard to buy beer and smokes and try to pay with a check without a drivers' license