In a bid to combat the devastating impact of drunk driving, California lawmakers are introducing new legislation aimed at holding repeat DUI offenders accountable.

Former California Highway Patrol Sergeant and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris and Senator Bob Archuleta are spearheading the initiative.

“As a CHP officer, I have stood on the side of the road with families who have just lost loved ones to drunk drivers. Those scenes will never leave me,” Lackey said. “When you have seen what I have seen, you understand that one weak law can cost a life. We owe it to the victims to do better.”

Archuleta lost his eldest grandchild Samantha to a drunk driver and emphasized the urgency of the issue.

“It is clear to me from my time with the Montebello Police Department that these are completely preventable tragedies. California must finally step up and make real change,” Archuleta said. “This isn’t a partisan issue. We owe it to every family to prevent these heartbreaking losses and save lives.”

The proposed legislative package includes three bills:

AB 1685: increases the points assessment for a conviction of vehicular manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated from two points to three, bringing repeat offenders closer to license suspension or revocationAB 1686: will allow for a felony or misdemeanor charge for a second offense of a DUI within 10 yearsAB 1687: changes the timeframe for how long the Department of Motor Vehicles can revoke a person’s license after they have been convicted of their third DUI from three years to eight years

Joel Carrillo, a father who lost his son Joey to an impaired driver, shared his story, hoping it will deter others from making similar choices.

“There’s days that I want to scream, kick, whatever, but often I come back and I tell myself like you have to sort of keep it together,” Carrillo said. “If we can help somebody not have to go through this, I think that’s what my goal is.”

Sergeant Abby Padgett of the Clovis Police Department highlighted the preventable nature of these tragedies, urging individuals to make safer choices.

“You choose to get behind the wheel of a car,” Padgett said. “We have multiple ride share options, such as Uber and Lyft and friends (and) family.”

The legislation aims to prevent further loss and ensure that California’s roads are safer for everyone.