A new California bill, AB 1605, could empower judges to place a “No Alcohol Sale” notice on licenses of repeat DUI offenders.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Bars, stores, and restaurants could be required to refuse alcohol sales to people convicted of a serious or repeat DUI offenses under a new California bill.
Assemblymember Rhodesia Ranson introduced AB 1605, which, if passed, would allow judges to place a “no alcohol sale” notice directly on the licenses or REAL IDs of people found guilty of serious or repeat DUI offenses. Anyone with the designation would be barred from purchasing alcohol, according to the assemblymember’s office.
“Repeated DUIs signal a dangerous pattern that puts lives at risk. 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,” Ransom said in a statement.
Ransom’s office noted that this proposal is similar to a measure enacted in Utah that gives judges discretion to place a no-alcohol warning on a case-by-case basis.
According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, there were just over 110,000 DUI arrests made in 2021. And 41.7% of fatal crashes in the state were DUI-involved.