Requires persons convicted of driving under influence or refusal to submit to chemical test, have an ignition interlock system installed in vehicle as part of sentence and to pay an assessment to pay for the interlock systems.

Rhode Island Bill Summary: Ignition Interlock Requirement for DUI Convictions

This bill would require anyone convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) or for refusing to take a breathalyzer or other chemical test to have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle as part of their sentence. An ignition interlock device is a small breathalyzer connected to a car's ignition system — the driver must blow into it and register a sober reading before the car will start. Under this bill, having one of these devices installed would no longer be optional or left to a judge's discretion, but would instead be a mandatory part of the punishment for these offenses.

The bill also requires convicted individuals to pay a financial assessment (a fee) that would go toward funding the ignition interlock program. This means the cost of the program would largely be borne by the people convicted of these offenses, rather than by taxpayers in general.

This bill primarily affects Rhode Island residents who are convicted of DUI or who refused a chemical test during a traffic stop. It could also affect their household members who share a vehicle, since the interlock device would be installed on any car the convicted person drives. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process, having been introduced and sent to the House Judiciary Committee for review.